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Sunday Morning Book Thread 02-16-2020

newnham college library cambridge u 01.jpg
Newnham Library, Cambridge University


Good morning to all you 'rons, 'ettes, lurkers, and lurkettes, wine moms, frat bros, crétins sans pantalon (who are technically breaking the rules), roadies, toadies, flunkies, hangers-on and other posterior osculators. Welcome once again to the stately, prestigious, internationally acclaimed and high-class Sunday Morning Book Thread, a weekly compendium of reviews, observations, snark, witty repartee, hilarious bon mots, and a continuing conversation on books, reading, spending way too much money on books, writing books, and publishing books by escaped oafs and oafettes who follow words with their fingers and whose lips move as they read. Unlike other AoSHQ comment threads, the Sunday Morning Book Thread is so hoity-toity, pants are required. Even if it's these pants which appear to be making a statement, namely, hey everybody, look at me, I'm a dork.



Pic Note:

Newnham College Library is

...one of the best-stocked undergraduate college libraries in Cambridge, with a collection of some 100,000 volumes, including approximately 6,000 rare books. The collection is kept as relevant, up-to-date and useful as possible by the annual purchase of more than 1,000 new titles to support undergraduate study in all subjects.

A dedicated library building was first built at Newnham in 1897. It has developed since then and was greatly expanded with a new building in 2004.

I was impressed by the library's hardwood floor. You get a better view of it in this photo.


It Pays To Increase Your Word Power®


The Germans have a word for everything.



20200216 book pic 02.jpg



Trump's Books -- Part 1

If I were a reporter assigned to cover Trump, the first thing I'd do is try to find out as much as I could about him. I'd try to find out what he thinks and why he thinks what he thinks. And one of the ways I could accomplish this is to find out what books he has read, what books he recommends and which books are his favorites.

I wonder how many of the reporters yelling questions at the president as he walks to his waiting helicopter have actually done this?

Anyway, I found this article that contains a list of Donald Trump's 10 favorite books. The author doesn't say how she knows this is the definitive top-10 list, so I'm taking her word for it here.

What surprised me most about Trump's book list is how much China seems to occupy his attention. 5 out of the 10 listed books are about China. The article also says:

The Los Angeles Times once reported that Trump once listed his favorite 20 books on China off the top of his head.

Oooh that Drumpf is such a big dummy! Sitting around in his bathrobe, guzzling Diet Coke and watching the Gorilla Channel all day. So they keep telling us.

Anyway, the idea that I've heard floated that Trump was going to get rolled in any deal made with the Chinese is laughable.

The first book on China on Trump's list is the one that's probably the most known: Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang

The most authoritative life of the Chinese leader every written, Mao: The Unknown Story is based on a decade of research, and on interviews with many of Mao’s close circle in China who have never talked before — and with virtually everyone outside China who had significant dealings with him. It is full of startling revelations, exploding the myth of the Long March, and showing a completely unknown Mao: he was not driven by idealism or ideology; his intimate and intricate relationship with Stalin went back to the 1920s, ultimately bringing him to power; he welcomed Japanese occupation of much of China; and he schemed, poisoned, and blackmailed to get his way. After Mao conquered China in 1949, his secret goal was to dominate the world. In chasing this dream he caused the deaths of 38 million people in the greatest famine in history. In all, well over 70 million Chinese perished under Mao’s rule — in peacetime.

Maoists and Mao's apologists really, really, really hate this book.

The second book deals with Mao's Communist Party legacy: The Party: The Secret World of China's Communist Rulers by Richard McGregor, which is

...Financial Times reporter Richard McGregor’s eye-opening investigation into China’s Communist Party, and the integral role it has played in the country’s rise as a global superpower and rival to the United States. Many books have examined China’s economic rise, human rights record, turbulent history, and relations with the U.S.; none until now, however, have tackled the issue central to understanding all of these issues: how the ruling communist government works. The Party delves deeply into China’s secretive political machine.

And, in post-Mao China, Tide Players: The Movers and Shakers of a Rising China by Jianying Zha, a book which

...depicts a new generation of movers and shakers who are transforming modern China. Through half a dozen sharply etched and nuanced profiles, Tide Players captures both the concrete detail and the epic dimension of life in the world’s fastest-growing economy.

Zha’s vivid cast of characters includes an unlikely couple who teamed up to become the country’s leading real-estate moguls; a gifted chameleon who transformed himself from Mao’s favorite “barefoot doctor” during the Cultural Revolution to a publishing maverick; and a tycoon of home-electronic chain stores who insisted on avenging his mother, who had been executed as “a counter-revolutionary criminal.” Alongside these entrepreneurs, Zha also brings us the intellectuals: a cantankerous professor at China’s top university; a former cultural minister turned prolific writer; and Zha’s own brother, a dissident who served a nine-year prison term for helping to found the China Democracy Party.

One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China by James McGregor

...shows how to navigate the often treacherous waters of Chinese deal-making. Brilliantly written by an author who has lived in China for nearly two decades, the book reveals indispensable, street-smart strategies, tactics, and lessons for succeeding in the world's fastest growing consumer market.

Foreign companies rightly fear that Chinese partners, customers, or suppliers will steal their technology or trade secrets or simply pick their pockets. Testy relations between China's Communist leaders and the United States and other democracies can trap foreign companies in a political crossfire. McGregor has seen or experienced it all, and now he shares his insights into how China really works.

I'm impressed with these choices. Trump picked books on China's history, who the movers and shakers in China are, how their government works, and how to do business in this rapidly expanding market. Again, the idea he's going to get taken to the cleaners by the Chinese is simply not credible.

Next week I'll discuss the other books on Trump's favorites list.



Who Dis:

who dis 20200216.jpg


Last week's 'who dis' was child actress Margaret O'Brien who continued to act into adulthood and her last film credit was in 2018.



Moron Recommendations

27 So a couple of weeks ago I mentioned Rosemary Taylor's Chicken Every Sunday, which was a memoir of growing up in Tucson in the early years of the 20th century.

While looking for other books of hers (she did a handful, all set in the West), I saw that she penned a sequel to Chicken called Ridin' the Rainbow. While her first book concentrated on her mother and the boarders who lived with the family, Rainbow centers itself on her father and his schemes for getting the family on to Easy Street.

If you liked Chicken, you will like Rainbow. Thumbs up!

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 09, 2020 09:11 AM (Ki5SV)

It's a national tragedy that Rosemary Taylor's books are long OOP. I've read Chicken Every Sunday: My Life with Mother's Boarders and it's an absolute delight. This sequel, Ridin' the rainbow: Father's life in Tucson, sounds like more of the same:

The uproarious sequel to Rosemary Taylor's bestseller "Chicken Every Sunday". With a mind full of ideas and promotions and a thrifty wife by his side to boot, father goes west. Here are all the schemes and plans that ten men could have had, some foolhardy, some implausible, but many panning out in new riches, ostrich farms, and pine nuts plantings, real estate and laundries, coffee beans and street cars. You'll learn the most original manner for getting a lady out of a cellar (don't ask), what happened to a telegram father sent the Pope, how a President was kidnapped, and what makes a mule run? Father could outwit a dowager, start a railroad in two days, and yet a New York city slicker could steal twenty dollars from him with a hard-luck story.

Reading the first book, I was struck with how you could just go to Tucson and find something to do, start some business venture, or perhaps provide some service, to earn money and even bring in a bit of prosperity. America seemed like a place where anything could happen and the possibilities seemingly endless.

___________

Always nice to get a rec/review from JTB:

33 I rarely pay attention to various book of the year type awards as they almost never contain books I care about. But there is the odd exception. I just read "The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse", written and illustrated by Charlie Mackesy. It's difficult to describe. In short, the characters meet in a rural area, get to know one another, and exchange some pholosophical observations. All this accompanied by minimalist pen and ink drawings. The end.

The effect of the book is more complicated to explain its appeal, at least to adults. There are echoes of Winnie the Pooh and Wind in the Willows in the childhood (not childish) innocence of wonder and discovery. The setting could be The Hundred Acre Wood or the Shire. The artwork is rough and sketchy but is still very effective, even poignant, and contributes to the feel of childhood. Even the text is cursive, with the appearence of being written with a broad nib dip pen. It is almost caligraphy. Some criticisms gripe about the simplistic, sugary observations. Others that the text is difficult to read or the illustrations are too sketchy. They miss the point. And I suspect they value a sophistication (theirs) over basics in life.

I found the book to be charming and relaxing. It was easy to get into the world of the story. The 'sugary' observations are a reminder that the basics in life are important. That there is joy in discovery and friendship. And it is a wonderful distraction from the constant noise, lies and hate bombarding us from the 24 hour news cycle.

The book isn't cheap but most libraries will have it. And I noticed it is in the adult section, not the children's area. I liked it enough to get a hardcover edition to own.

Posted by: JTB at February 09, 2020 09:15 AM (7EjX1)

Looking at The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, I definitely picked up a "Wind in the Willows" impression from it. It features 100 color and black-and-white drawings. And when JTB said the book "isn't cheap", I was expecting something in the $30-40 price range. So I was pleasantly surprised that the Amazon price for the hardcover edition is $13.49.

So it may go on my Christmas list.


___________

31 I read The Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd. The author of Sarum, London, and Russka turns his attention to the history of Ireland as he traces the lives of a handful of families through the ages in this work of historical fiction. A sequel, The Rebels of Ireland, completes the history. I love Rutherfurd's writing as he weaves an interesting story while giving me much new knowledge of Irish history.

Posted by: Zoltan at February 09, 2020 09:13 AM (PevXk)

So The Princes of Ireland: The Dublin Saga is a historical novel that covers, like, 900+ years:

The saga begins in tribal, pre-Christian Ireland during the reign of the fierce and mighty High Kings at Tara, with the tale of two lovers, the princely Conall and the ravishing Deirdre, whose travails cleverly echo the ancient Celtic legend of Cuchulainn. From that stirring beginning, Rutherfurd takes the reader on a powerfully-imagined journey through the centuries. Through the interlocking stories of a memorable cast of characters—druids and chieftains, monks and smugglers, noblewomen and farmwives, merchants and mercenaries, rebels and cowards—we see Ireland through the lens of its greatest city.

And that's just Part 1. It's 800+ pages of sprawling epic. The sequel, The Rebels of Ireland takes almost 900 page to bring you to the modern era. Sounds like something to read on a rainy winter's night.


___________

Plucked this rec out of one of this week's rant threads:

TJM, go find The Authorized Biography of James Bond ca. 1973, by John Pearson (Fleming's first biographer). It purports to be the actual Bond's life as told to Pearson by Bond. It explains a few things we'd always wondered about, like how he came by the Bentley and his knowledge of high-quality life. It features some original missions, which read very much like Fleming's, and ends with a perfect scene. Highly recommended.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius at February 14, 2020 11:51 AM (Ejm1K)

First published in 1973, Pearson's James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007 has been OOP since the 1990s, although used copies are available. It has been reprinted as James Bond: The Authorised Biography which you can get on Kindle for $6.99.

James Bond has graced our bookshelves and screens for over fifty years. The martini-drinking, super-smooth character has become an icon and national treasure. Like most of the many million James Bond fans around the world, John Pearson assumed that the world's most famous spy was no more than a figment of Fleming's highly charged imagination. Then he began to have his doubts. He finally became convinced that James Bond was not only real but alive and well in Bermuda. With candour, Bond began to recount the story of his life to Pearson, revealing the most amazing series of adventures only hinted at in Ian Fleming's novels. This sensational biography promises to show a side of Bond never seen before.

Wikipedia calls it a "spoof novel", which is perhaps the literary equivalent of fake news. So I guess this is like a book that purports to be the "real" biography of Sherlock Holmes.

Anyway, this sounds like it might be fun for Bond fans. If fiction is blulsiht, then this book is blulsiht overlayed with an additional layer of blulsiht. Purporting to be the truth, it tells you another lie. Which is entertaining in its own way. I'll bet the Germans have a fancy, 10-deutschmark word for this sort of thing, I just don't know what it is.

Author John Pearson also wrote is considered the definitive biography of James Bond's creator, The Life of Ian Fleming. He worked with Fleming at the Sunday Times, and based this biography on

...his own memories of Fleming, on Fleming's private papers, and on a series of interviews with an extraordinary collection of Fleming's contemporaries – family, friends, enemies, teachers, colleagues, mistresses, and former spies from around the world.

First published in 1966, John Pearson's famous biography remains the definitive account of how only Ian Fleming could have dreamed up James Bond, for he led a life as colourful as anything in his fiction, which in turn became a covert autobiography. Charming, debonair and a ruthless womaniser, globetrotting from wartime Algiers to beachside Jamaica, Fleming was as elusive and opaque as his imaginary creation.

On Kindle for $9.99.


___________

So that's all for this week. As always, book thread tips, suggestions, bribes, insults, threats, ugly pants pics and moron library submissions 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.



20200216 book pic 03.jpg

Buy your Jane Eyre Stationery Cards here. Or not. They appear to be rather spendy.

Posted by: OregonMuse at 09:10 AM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Tolle Lege

Posted by: Skip at February 16, 2020 09:10 AM (ZCEU2)

2 Good morning fellow Book Threadists. Hope everyone had a great week of reading.

Posted by: JTB at February 16, 2020 09:10 AM (7EjX1)

3 Hello.

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 09:10 AM (t+qrx)

4 Current doing a re-read of Modesitt's Recluse series. I started with the Fall of Angels which wasn't the first in the series as written, but chronologically it is the first book.

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2020 09:10 AM (mpXpK)

5 Corgis dutifully called so my work is done here as I still have no new book

Posted by: Skip at February 16, 2020 09:11 AM (ZCEU2)

6 The last time I saw pants like those, they were on an Oompa-Loompa.

Posted by: JTB at February 16, 2020 09:12 AM (7EjX1)

7 I want to say that's Rita Hayworth, but I'm sure I'm wrong.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:12 AM (Ki5SV)

8 How many people live in those pants?

Posted by: BignJames at February 16, 2020 09:13 AM (X/Pw5)

9 Darn: always miss most of the book thread,
My mother went to Newnham College. I'm sorry she's not around to appreciate the picture .

I like the picture of the girls with the book.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 16, 2020 09:13 AM (WI7YS)

10 who dis : Ava Gardner ?

Posted by: runner, up early for some reason at February 16, 2020 09:13 AM (zr5Kq)

11 I read The Whisper Man by Alex North. This is a scary, well-plotted thriller about young boys going missing in a small town where five similar cases happened twenty years ago. The perpetrator of those cases is in prison, so who is the new murderer? A very enjoyable mystery.

Posted by: Zoltan at February 16, 2020 09:14 AM (PevXk)

12 No hand rails on the walk-ways to the upper level books?

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2020 09:14 AM (mpXpK)

13
g'mornin', bookish 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at February 16, 2020 09:14 AM (/9hg/)

14 It always amazes me how oh so smart Leftists are so certain that Trump doesn't read but that he CANNOT read.

Posted by: blaster at February 16, 2020 09:14 AM (ZfRYq)

15 7 I want to say that's Rita Hayworth, but I'm sure I'm wrong.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:12 AM (Ki5SV)


That's right, it's not RH.

I'm surprised how much it doesn't look like who it actually is.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 09:15 AM (AWstk)

16 ava gardner

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 09:15 AM (ONvIw)

17 I actually like those pants- they look like something comfy to lounge about the house with. But never go outside.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:15 AM (Ki5SV)

18 Katharine Hepburn?

Posted by: My life is insanity at February 16, 2020 09:15 AM (Z/jzm)

19 10 who dis : Ava Gardner ?
Posted by: runner, up early for some reason at February 16, 2020 09:13 AM (zr5Kq)

Yep, unmistakeable

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 09:15 AM (ONvIw)

20 10 who dis : Ava Gardner ?
Posted by: runner, up early for some reason at February 16, 2020 09:13 AM (zr5Kq)


Yes!

Now off to get coffee. Back in a bit.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 09:16 AM (AWstk)

21 Currently reading 'At War in Distant Waters', a history of colonial naval strategy and cruiser battles on a global scale in world war 1.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 16, 2020 09:16 AM (2go+e)

22 Ha ! I WON ! I WON !!

*what did I win ??

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 09:16 AM (zr5Kq)

23 In any event, I finished Ridin' the Rainbow and it is every bit as good and funny as Chicken Every Sunday. "Father" sounds like he would have been a wonderful man to know.

And it is a pity that his world is so long gone.

I often wonder if any of the Tucson the family know still exists.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:17 AM (Ki5SV)

24 Greetings!

The Vampires of Michigan is on the way!

I'm futzing with the Amazon settings and frankly sick of looking at it. Can't wait to move onto something else for a change.

I'll zap an email to our proprietor once I get a gander at a hard copy and am satisfied with the content.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 09:17 AM (cfSRQ)

25 D'oh!

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:18 AM (Ki5SV)

26 Italicans!

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 09:18 AM (cfSRQ)

27 I have a question for all you learned readers and US Civil War Historians, was Ulysses S. Grant known for his sense of humor ? Or, known to have a sense of humor ?

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 09:19 AM (zr5Kq)

28 I was actually going to say Ava Gardner ("sure, you were") because of the sandals; Gardner, as an old farm girl, loved to go barefoot.

Oh, well.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:19 AM (Ki5SV)

29 "*what did I win ??"

A lifetime supply of ketchup.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 09:19 AM (tT0V4)

30 Last week OM mentioned a book about HMS Thunder Child from HG Wells The War of the Worlds. It got me thinking about the late 70s double LP the Musical Version of The War of the Worlds by Jeff Wayne (Northernlurker and Coregis mentioned it too). A great album to veg out to.

Posted by: Jake Holenhead at February 16, 2020 09:19 AM (P1GvV)

31 Good damage control.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at February 16, 2020 09:20 AM (dbIsf)

32 I was actually going to say Ava Gardner ("sure, you were") because of the sandals; Gardner, as an old farm girl, loved to go barefoot.

Oh, well.
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing


cleft gave it away

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 09:20 AM (zr5Kq)

33 Good Sunday morning, horde!

I think I may have started Jung Chang's book about Mao some years ago, but had to return it to the library before I was done. I was kinda busy with life at the time, and sort of mentally shelved it, until I couldn't remember what it was called or who wrote it.

Currently, I'm reading another of her books, Wild Swans, which I learned of right here in this book thread. I am at the point in her memoirs where her mother, an early avid Communist, has fallen out of favor with the party, and is under constant suspicion and supervision.

I just can't help thinking this is our future if we don't turn back the SJW tide.

Posted by: April at February 16, 2020 09:21 AM (OX9vb)

34 >>It always amazes me how oh so smart Leftists are so certain that Trump doesn't read but that he CANNOT read.

It's all part of the Deplorable mantra that worked so well for the left in 2016. We are stoopid.

Posted by: JackStraw at February 16, 2020 09:21 AM (ZLI7S)

35 This week, I got nostalgic for my grandmother and ordered a couple books by one of her favorite lady authors, Elizabeth Goudge. The one I started is The Dean's Watch, which is about a watchmaker and the Dean of a cathedral in 19th century England.

The character development is good and Goudge even develops the historical "character" of the cathedral in order to demonstrate why it has such an impact on the community.

This is not chick lit, although I think she did write some books with more female themes.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 09:21 AM (ONvIw)

36 Not sure about US Grant, I remember only the parts of him being a very serious person.

Posted by: Skip at February 16, 2020 09:21 AM (ZCEU2)

37 Been reading a whole lot. Bar review. 10 days. Ugh.

Posted by: RI Red at February 16, 2020 09:22 AM (4VdFg)

38 A lifetime supply of ketchup.


==

oh...I ...am going to donate to charity !

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 09:23 AM (zr5Kq)

39 cleft gave it away
Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 09:20 AM (zr5Kq)

Yes, nobody quite like her.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 09:23 AM (ONvIw)

40 I read "Gettysburg: The Last Invasion" by Allen C. Guelzo. A very good and detailed account of the battle.

Some interesting parts of the book are the political differences among the officers of the Army of the Potomac (pro and anti-McClellan groups). Lee's Army of Northern Virginia had its problems too, including the dislike of North Carolinians. Maybe they didn't have enough secession fever. Some descriptions of the main participates such as Pickett, Armistead, and Sickles (Meade said he was "one of the bigger bubbles of the scum.") reads like some gossip rag.

Guelzo also tackles some myths; Chamberlain and the 20th Maine saved the battle for the Union (it was important and overrated), J.E.B. Stuart lost the battle (Lee had enough cavalry without Stuart) and the Lee/Stuart confrontation after Stuart returned probably never happened. Then there's the blame game for Lee's loss that started after the battle and continues to this day, and who won for the North? Surely not Meade, but everyone else. The bottom line is as the commanders both Lee and Meade are responsible and accountable.

Posted by: Jake Holenhead at February 16, 2020 09:23 AM (P1GvV)

41 Awww .... I went to Amazon to look for "Riding the Rainbow" and the less expensive available copy was $30+!
Guess I'll have to just keep my eyes peeled at the next NEISD PTA book sale...
Not much going on this week bookwise; too busy working on client stuff. Came up with a plot twist for the next Luna City book, and that's about it.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at February 16, 2020 09:23 AM (xnmPy)

42 "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.


Inside of a dog it's too dark to read."


- Groucho Marx, who thankfully never wore M. C. Hammer pants.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy. #PutChinaOutofBusiness at February 16, 2020 09:24 AM (HaL55)

43 'My life is insanity' - if you are still here, I have a couple blueberry bread recipes. I'll catch up with you on the Food Thread.

Posted by: kallisto at February 16, 2020 09:24 AM (sCVDB)

44 Morning all.

I'm continuing with reading various mysteries I've picked up over the years but never looked at. One thing I've noticed lately is that some of the Brit ones were written by guy who thought of themselves as left, but who show a decided conservative side. i used to think this was just because I tend to prefer older books. And that meant that, like Orwell, they weren't completely rotten.

But now, rereading Scruton (Frauds, Fools, and Firebrands & How to Be a Conservative) I'm not sure there isn't something else as well. He says that there is a strain in Brit Leftist thought (Christopher Hill and E P Thompson, for instance) which is backward looking and which involves a romantic view of the rural working class. He argues that this is very different from continental leftists, and orthodox Marxists like Hobsbawm.

He may be onto something here (though I personally think Hill is worthless. And Ian Christie's Stress and Stability takes an axe to Thompson.)

Posted by: Eeyore at February 16, 2020 09:25 AM (ZbwAu)

45 22 Ha ! I WON ! I WON !!

*what did I win ??
Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 09:16 AM (zr5Kq)
________

A Brass Figligee With Oak Leaf Clusters.

Posted by: Eeyore at February 16, 2020 09:26 AM (ZbwAu)

46 Guelzo also tackles some myths; Chamberlain and the 20th Maine saved the
battle for the Union (it was important and overrated), J.E.B. Stuart
lost the battle (Lee had enough cavalry without Stuart) and the
Lee/Stuart confrontation after Stuart returned probably never happened.
Then there's the blame game for Lee's loss that started after the battle
and continues to this day, and who won for the North? Surely not Meade,
but everyone else. The bottom line is as the commanders both Lee and
Meade are responsible and accountable.
---
Meade gets little credit, but if one looks at the strategic situation, he did remarkably well.

The Army of the Potomac just got mauled at Chancellorsville and somehow managed to keep close tabs on Lee and concentrate in reasonably good order at Gettysburg.

Meade was also the first commander of the AoP to use ALL his forces.

Some credit Reynolds or Hancock but delegation is a part of leadership.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 09:26 AM (cfSRQ)

47 So, since Monday is my birthday, I decided to give myself an early present, and drove up to Avenue Victor Hugo Books in Lee, NH:

https://tinyurl.com/wfb7zxr

I bought a pile of things, but two books I am especially looking forward to reading:

Little Clews (William E. Hingston, 191 - this seems to be a collection of real-life "One Minute Mysteries," all reminiscences of a Boston-based document examiner, which I didn't think existed at the time, but there you are.

I Lost My English Accent (C.V.R. Thompson, 1939) - a travel book / reminiscence by the American correspondent for the London Daily Express, covering the 1920s and 1930s when he went to speakeasies, covered the Lindbergh trial and sought out some people who remembered the St Valentine's Day Massacre, among other things.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:27 AM (Ki5SV)

48 Well, if we're going to talk about Chinese genocide, I'll note that Richard Dawkins has gone and done it.

Richard Dawkins@RichardDawkins
It's one thing to deplore eugenics on ideological, political, moral grounds. It's quite another to conclude that it wouldn't work in practice. Of course it would. It works for cows, horses, pigs, dogs and roses. Why on earth wouldn't it work for humans? Facts ignore ideology.

-
So real Nazism has never been tried? Or Nazism hasn't worked because we haven't had the right Fuehrer? Or the problem with Hitler was that he killed some of the wrong people?

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 09:27 AM (+y/Ru)

49 I am, kallisto.
I probably won't be able to see the food thread 'til late though, so thanks in advance.

Posted by: My life is insanity at February 16, 2020 09:28 AM (Z/jzm)

50 Yesterday, grammie winger mentioned she was tired of all those romances by women writers that take up most of the Kindle Daily Deals. I agree. The one benefit is it allows me to go through the lists very quickly. But if these types of books are so popular, it makes me wonder just how many feminist fanatics are really out there. Or is it just a small number of VERY LOUD cvnts trying to irritate everyone else.

Posted by: JTB at February 16, 2020 09:28 AM (7EjX1)

51 14 It always amazes me how oh so smart Leftists are so certain that Trump doesn't read but that he CANNOT read.
Posted by: blaster at February 16, 2020 09:14 AM (ZfRYq)
________

Nothing new. The said the same things about both Bushes, Reagan, Ford, and Ike. Nixon was the only one they admitted had a brain. And we know that, at least, GWB, Ronnie, and Ike were pretty bright.

Posted by: Eeyore at February 16, 2020 09:29 AM (ZbwAu)

52 Book nerds!

Posted by: Ogre at February 16, 2020 09:29 AM (1CjJc)

53 Ava Gardner's fireplace appears to have an octopus in it.


"My fireplace has an octopus." Sorta sounds like the MP "Hungarian Phrasebook" skit.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy. #PutChinaOutofBusiness at February 16, 2020 09:29 AM (HaL55)

54 Meade gets little credit, but if one looks at the strategic situation, he did remarkably well.

-
Especially considering that he had been CO for only a few days when the battle broke out.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 09:29 AM (+y/Ru)

55 Ava when she was fresh. Hollywood spoiled her, maybe it was Sinatra, who knows? She ended up getting kicked out of Spain for public lewdness. She aged very well but died relatively young.

Posted by: kallisto at February 16, 2020 09:30 AM (sCVDB)

56 With "Vampires" all but done, looking forward to upping my reading game.

Just reached Minas Morgul which has such a wonderful description - the perfect counterpoint to Lothlorien - everything twisted, off, wrong.

Imlad Morgul is arguably the most supernatural setting in all of Lord of the Rings.

After LotR, I'll look at some of the books listed here and then contemplate Battle Officer Wolf II: Electric Boogaloo.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 09:30 AM (cfSRQ)

57 My mouse is acting up for some reason, but -

Sgt. Mom, if you want to e-mail me through my nic, I would be happy to lend you my copy of Ridin' the Rainbow. It's a good book, but not worth thirty dollars!

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:30 AM (Ki5SV)

58 Ha ! I WON ! I WON !!

*what did I win ??
Posted by: runner

A date with Ava Gardner !

Posted by: JT at February 16, 2020 09:30 AM (arJlL)

59 Hi fellow bookies, thanks OM!

Still reading Conan, still writing grandfather. New news: anyone interested in young adult novels, Amazon recently listed "Peter Polo and the Snow Beast of Hunza" - written by a friend of mine, really good guy. If'n you're so inclined with young adults on your gift list, check it out.

Posted by: goatexchange at February 16, 2020 09:31 AM (HV7tu)

60 47 ... "So, since Monday is my birthday"

MP4, Happy Birthday tomorrow.

Posted by: JTB at February 16, 2020 09:32 AM (7EjX1)

61 49, mlii - OK

Posted by: kallisto at February 16, 2020 09:32 AM (sCVDB)

62 A pictorial trip report of a visit to sister stores The Archives and Curious Books in East Lansing Michigan yesterday:

https://stoatnet.org/el_books/

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 09:32 AM (t+qrx)

63 Sgt. Mom, if you want to e-mail me through my nic, I would be happy to lend you my copy of Ridin' the Rainbow. It's a good book, but not worth thirty dollars!
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:30 AM (Ki5SV)

Abebooks has a copy for 3 dollars plush 3.95 shipping

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 09:33 AM (ONvIw)

64 "oh...I ...am going to donate to charity !"

Get a receipt!!!!

Posted by: Your Accountant at February 16, 2020 09:33 AM (tT0V4)

65 Reading through two mystery series by Garry Disher, set around the Melbourne area (unless plots take them elsewhere in Australia). On Port Villa Blues, which is in the series about a thief. About halfway through the book and give it thumbs up so far. Will read next a book in the other series about a detective inspector.

Posted by: Charlotte at February 16, 2020 09:34 AM (M2urV)

66 With the new remake of "Call of the Wild" I'm reminded that I've never read any of Jack London's novels. This is mildly embarrasing. Hell, it's been over 50 years since I read any of his short stories. My latest relationship with the Klondike area is from Robert Service poems. So yesterday I visited the used book store (always dangerous and time consuming) and scored a nice hardcover volume with "Call of the Wild", "White Fang", and "The Sea Wolf" plus a bunch of his short stories about the North. I'm hoping the novels will hold up to their reputation.

Posted by: JTB at February 16, 2020 09:34 AM (7EjX1)

67 Especially considering that he had been CO for only a few days when the battle broke out.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 09:29 AM (+y/Ru)

---
But he had been a member of it almost since the beginning. Wasn't he V Corps commander before his promotion?

So he knew who was sound and who wasn't. Reynolds with the vanguard, Hancock with the main body.

He also knew that he would only get stronger up north while Lee would only get weaker, so he was in no hurry to engage. The fear of Buford in The Killer Angels was unfounded - Meade showed he'd ignore any order from Washington he didn't like, as he did afterwards and at Mine Run.

There's a reason Grant kept him in operational control of the army.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 09:35 AM (cfSRQ)

68 Hiya Bookfolk !

Posted by: JT at February 16, 2020 09:35 AM (arJlL)

69 "MP4, Happy Birthday tomorrow."

You and J.J. have the same birthday?

What are the odds?


Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 09:35 AM (tT0V4)

70 The German word ERKLAERUNGSNOT refers to a moment in which you have been caught in a situation requiring an urgent explanation, but cannot find the words to account for your actions. It literally means 'explanation poverty'.


Not it doesn't. "Not" means emergency, not poverty. Atemnot (Atem is breath) = I can't breathe. Notausgang (Ausgang = exit, actually it = out go because German is a ridiculously literal language) is Emergency Exit.

Noetig (not-ish) means necessary. There's an emergency so this thing is necessary.

So Erklaerungsnot means explanation emergency.

/pedant mode

Posted by: Bandersnatch at February 16, 2020 09:35 AM (gd9RK)

71 MPPP - no luck with getting your email as linky no worky, but yes, I'd love to borrow Riding the Rainbow. My email is clyahayes-at-gee-mail-dot-com. Thanks!

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at February 16, 2020 09:35 AM (xnmPy)

72 "First published in 1973, Pearson's James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007 has been OOP since the 1990s, although used copies are available."

I've got a first edition. My parents gave it to me for Christmas, as I was a Fleming/Bond-freak. Pearson is an excellent writer, and the way he stitched together the "life" of James Bond from the various strands and hints in Fleming's books is really ingenious.

Posted by: Dan Smoot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 09:36 AM (H8QX8)

73 It always amazes me how oh so smart Leftists are so certain that Trump doesn't read but that he CANNOT read.

It's all part of the Deplorable mantra that worked so well for the left in 2016. We are stoopid.

-
The leftist big publishers won't publish conservative books that would sell preferring to publish the same old liberal tripe then accuse us of not reading.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 09:37 AM (+y/Ru)

74 Posted by: Bandersnatch at February 16, 2020 09:35 AM (gd9RK)

How is it pronounced?


As reading it with English eyes, it looks like-

*gibblegabble*SNOT.

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2020 09:39 AM (z0XD8)

75 I like the painting of the two little girls, sisters I assume, sharing a book. It's a peaceful, gentle scene.

Posted by: JTB at February 16, 2020 09:40 AM (7EjX1)

76 We went through this same dummkopf syndrome with Reagan as with Trump. The Left's playbook never changes. Anybody who thinks inventively, boldly and irreverently has to be called stupid. They're so afraid of that.

Posted by: Dan Smoot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 09:40 AM (H8QX8)

77 I think Edwin Coddinton gives George Meade the benefit of the doubt being thrown into the job only a couple days before Gettysburg.

Posted by: Skip at February 16, 2020 09:40 AM (ZCEU2)

78 Nice Lieberry!

The Who Dis is Pete Bootedgeedge relaxing around the house before the hubby gets home and he has to give up the booty.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at February 16, 2020 09:41 AM (Z+IKu)

79 334 It's all part of the Deplorable mantra that worked so well for the left in 2016. We are stoopid.
Posted by: JackStraw at February 16, 2020 09:21 AM (ZLI7S)

Truly. I'd like to see Chuck Todd, Tater, AOC, Chris Wallace, Marie Harf, etc. etc., read even half of that list. Extra points if they understand what they read.

Posted by: April at February 16, 2020 09:41 AM (OX9vb)

80 Hmm, you're right, Sgt Mom, it doesn't work. I wonder why.

Anyway, did you see CNs comment at #63 about a 4 dollar copy from abebooks?

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:41 AM (Ki5SV)

81 Those pants are fine. I would wear then to a barbeque in the Master's back yard.

Posted by: Torgo at February 16, 2020 09:41 AM (Tnijr)

82 That's a great idea to explore the books Trump reads or writes!

I had no idea what makes the man tick, until he became president and Rush Limbaugh started explaining him to me.

Posted by: Emmie at February 16, 2020 09:41 AM (87gB3)

83 >>The leftist big publishers won't publish conservative books that would sell preferring to publish the same old liberal tripe then accuse us of not reading.

Spend some time perusing the comments section on leftwing blogs. Most of them literally have no idea how things work. They may read but it's all leftwing tropes, no historical or practical knowledge of pretty much anything. It was a hoot watching them celebrate Trump being impeached by the House believing it removed him from office.

As with everything else, leftists are guilty of what they accuse others of being. It's what allows them to ignore reality.

Posted by: JackStraw at February 16, 2020 09:42 AM (ZLI7S)

84 Torgo at 81 - ISWYDT

Posted by: PabloD at February 16, 2020 09:43 AM (a0kj6)

85 I'm reminded that I've never read any of Jack London's novels.

I read Call of the Wild and White Fang as an adult and enjoyed them. I had thought of them as kids' books and not read them as a kid.

As a kid I read the kid version of them, a series about an Irish Setter named Red. Big Red, Outlaw Red. Jim Kjellgard. I never hear anyone talk about them but they were my faves at one point.

Posted by: Bandersnatch at February 16, 2020 09:43 AM (gd9RK)

86 (Looks around......)

Where's Eris ?

Posted by: JT at February 16, 2020 09:45 AM (arJlL)

87 After the mention of "From the Depths and other strange tales of the sea" last week I had to get a copy which arrived yesterday. These aren't the usual ones like the Mary Celeste. These kind of stories always appealed to me since I grew up on an island and saw the Atlantic in all its various moods. JackStraw, living on the adjacent island, would understand.

Part of the appeal of these stories is they do a good job setting the atmosphere, making it easy to become absorbed into the tale. The ability of a piece to do that is increasingly important to my enjoyment. Charles Dickens, Melville, Haggard, Tolkien and others are masters at this. More recently, the O'Brian sea novels and Cornwell adventure books do this so well. Slam, bang action with little context was fine when I was a kid. Maybe I finally grew up a bit.

Posted by: JTB at February 16, 2020 09:45 AM (7EjX1)

88 A long time ago there was a bookstore in E.L called Jocundry's. I remember enjoying the place a lot. Anyway, I don't think it survived the death of its owner in that grisly plane crash, Flight 191.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 09:45 AM (ONvIw)

89 Where's Eris ?
Posted by: JT at February 16, 2020 09:45 AM (arJlL)


*slowly looks up towards ceiling air ducts*

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 09:46 AM (t+qrx)

90 Where's Eris ?


Last we saw her yesterday she was heading out to a used book store with another Moron. We may need Malamutes and sleds to mount an expedition.

Posted by: Bandersnatch at February 16, 2020 09:46 AM (gd9RK)

91 booken morgen horden!

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 09:46 AM (G546f)

92 Last week OM mentioned a book about HMS Thunder Child from HG Wells The War of the Worlds. It got me thinking about the late 70s double LP the Musical Version of The War of the Worlds by Jeff Wayne (Northernlurker and Coregis mentioned it too). A great album to veg out to.

-
Available on Pandora. A somewhat similar album is The History of the Peloponnesian War by Athens v. Sparta. It's sort of a pop/rock retelling of the war.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 09:47 AM (+y/Ru)

93 Jim Kjellgard. I never hear anyone talk about them but they were my faves at one point.
Posted by: Bandersnatch at February 16, 2020 09:43 AM (gd9RK)

Oh, yes.

James Street wrote some fine short stories on dogs. Nicholas Kalishnikov's "Toyon" is an underappreciated gem.

Posted by: Dan Smoot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 09:47 AM (H8QX8)

94 Posted by: OregonMuse at 11:10 AM

Good trick.

Posted by: mindful webworker
Grenwich Meantime
at February 16, 2020 09:47 AM (7OF+y)

95 They called me Googly-Eyes!

Posted by: Adam Schiff at February 16, 2020 09:47 AM (wc1vX)

96 >>Part of the appeal of these stories is they do a good job setting the atmosphere, making it easy to become absorbed into the tale. The ability of a piece to do that is increasingly important to my enjoyment. Charles Dickens, Melville, Haggard, Tolkien and others are masters at this. More recently, the O'Brian sea novels and Cornwell adventure books do this so well. Slam, bang action with little context was fine when I was a kid. Maybe I finally grew up a bit.

I've read the O'Brian series a couple times. His knowledge of history, maritime history in particular, along with a deep understanding of ships and how they really work made the books even more enjoyable.

Posted by: JackStraw at February 16, 2020 09:49 AM (ZLI7S)

97 Finally in town and at home for a Book Thread! I've been enjoying John van Stry's Portals of Infinity series. Here's the blurb:

William is just your typical engineer fresh out of college with a stressful job, a boring life, and not a lot of prospects of anything better in the future.

Until one weekend while hiking in the woods he stumbles across a portal to another time, or perhaps another place. The more he investigates this new world the more he realizes that it may just be able to offer him a lot more than the one he's been living in.

However, there are forces at work beyond anything that Will has ever come across before and the local Goddess seems to have taken a liking to him. Will may soon find himself getting an offer and cannot afford to refuse.

Posted by: Hans G. Schantz at February 16, 2020 09:49 AM (FXjhj)

98 The last time I saw pants like those, they were on an Oompa-Loompa.
Posted by: JTB at February 16, 2020 09:12 AM (7EjX1)

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

Last time I saw pants like that, it was MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This."

Posted by: Otters United! at February 16, 2020 09:50 AM (WEBkv)

99 How you can tell I've had experience in property maintenance: I look at the library pic and think

Guy who designed that elaborate arch in the library:
"That looks great!"

Gal Guy Person who has to dust said arch:
"Uhhnnnngggg..."

Posted by: mindful webworker
Grenwich Meantime
at February 16, 2020 09:51 AM (7OF+y)

100 Mornin' book fags.

I'd never read Little Women, so I checked it out from the library.

It's so good! No wonder it's a perennial classic. It's warm and sentimental and endearing, but I had no idea it was so funny. Alcott has so many wry observations about her characters.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 09:51 AM (Dc2NZ)

101 JTB, have you ever read any Edward Rowe Snow?

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:51 AM (Ki5SV)

102 88
A long time ago there was a bookstore in E.L called Jocundry's. I
remember enjoying the place a lot. Anyway, I don't think it survived the
death of its owner in that grisly plane crash, Flight 191.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 09:45 AM (ONvIw)

---
I remember it with great fondness. Still have one of their bookmarks.

Not sure about the plane crash, but Barnes and Noble came on strong with a major store out in Okemos. Jocundry's then built a larger store next to the Peanut Barrel (you'll remember it as a parking lot). The recession of 1990 hit at the worst time and the store closed, reopened as Grand River Books but couldn't make a go.

Locals now give directions regarding where Jocundry's used to be before it moved and closed.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 09:51 AM (cfSRQ)

103
Never mind the goofy pantaloons, what about those spiked sandals? Combined beach and riot wear!

Of course, you can't kick very well wearing those pants!

Posted by: mindful webworker
what the pierced chimp is wearing
at February 16, 2020 09:53 AM (7OF+y)

104 81 Those pants are fine. I would wear then to a barbeque in the Master's back yard.
Posted by: Torgo at February 16, 2020 09:41 AM (Tnijr)
---

The Master would approve!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2qu38Ipt4I

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 09:53 AM (Dc2NZ)

105 Has anybody been to Mrs. Dalloway's, the book store in Berkeley?

My sister in law owns and operates it. She's grown it from a small boutique to one of most popular book stores in the Bay Area. Our politics don't align, but she's a terrific and sweet gal.

Posted by: Dan Smoot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 09:55 AM (H8QX8)

106 While out in California I finished The Gift by Nabokov. Although I was out of my natural reading environment up in my attic in front of the stereo, I found this an overly difficult read where he tried to do too much and was too clever by half. I mean it's as dense as Ulysses with continual internal conundrums but at some point it's just too much drudgery for what I consider enjoyable. Too bad because there's some beautiful writing in spots but that a publisher refused to include one of the chapters initially should have been a heads up to Vlad that he'd spent a lot of time producing a turd. It was probably released in full after he'd gained more international fame with his subsequent US books that publishers, who can be as whorish as anyone, said let's cash in on producing a COMPLETE VERSION. Maybe a reread would improve my opinion but, if that happens at all it will be way down the road.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2020 09:55 AM (y7DUB)

107 74
Posted by: Bandersnatch at February 16, 2020 09:35 AM (gd9RK)



How is it pronounced?





As reading it with English eyes, it looks like-



*gibblegabble*SNOT.





Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2020 09:39 AM (z0XD

---
In German, vowels can have only one sound. That's why they have the umlaut, to give them another sound. Two vowels together can combine for a sound, but that is always consistent.

My German vocabulary is garbage now, but I can read it like a pro. It's wonderfully consistent.

the suffix "-not" is pronounced as "note" because all Os in German are long.

So you would say that word "air-clare-ungs-note."

And it's interesting that we use the word "note" to mean some random jottings, but also as a warning such as "EDITORS NOTE:"

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 09:56 AM (cfSRQ)

108 I'm surprised how much it doesn't look like who it actually is.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 09:15 AM (AWstk)


In which case it really doesn't look like Humphrey Bogart.

I am reading O'Brien's The Mauritius Command.

I did get new reading glasses which are very nice, but I still don't have a lot of reading time.

I did poke my nose at a collection of Eric Frank Russell's short stories because I wanted to re-read Diablologic. Got distracted by another short story . . . Wound up having to run because I forgot what time it is.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 16, 2020 09:56 AM (6rS3m)

109 101 ... "have you ever read any Edward Rowe Snow?"

MP4, The name is familiar but I can't recall any specific reading. I'll have to check the shelves. They sound ike fun. Thanks.

Posted by: JTB at February 16, 2020 09:56 AM (7EjX1)

110 The hardest thing about German is the gender. Every noun has a gender and in my advancing age, I've lost track.

No native speaker would get that wrong, and I lack the patience to do the vocab drills to relearn everything.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 09:57 AM (cfSRQ)

111 good morning, all.

Well, after a movie recommendation, "Citizen X," I decided to get the book the movie is based on, "The Killer Department."

in case anyone is interested, the book and movie are about a serial killer that operated in the Soviet Union from the mid-eighties to the mid-nineties? I believe.

What has struck me, most, though, is the absolute poverty in which Russians lived back then. (I say lived because I don't know much about the current circumstances of the average Russian)

And by poverty, I mean poverty that appears, in many ways, to be worse than the Great Depression in the US.

The serial killer himself isn't what I would call unique, other than it happened in Russia and it took a long time to catch him.

Well worth reading.

Posted by: Otters United! at February 16, 2020 09:58 AM (WEBkv)

112 "Mao: The Unknown Story"

I read that book. I was finishing it while dining alone in a Chinese restaurant when the waiter noticed the title and asked if he could read it when I was done. His family fled China in the 50s, became christians and hated Mao. I finished it a day later, stopped by the restaurant and give it to him as a gift.


He and Stalin had a lot in common. Power hungry sociopaths.

Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at February 16, 2020 09:59 AM (gocCp)

113 /crud, off stale and moldy otter sock.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing
at February 16, 2020 10:00 AM (WEBkv)

114 Locals now give directions regarding where Jocundry's used to be before it moved and closed.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 09:51 AM (cfSRQ)

John and Madra were close "friends of a friend", as it were. There was no way she was going to be able to maintain the store and several other key employees died on the crash as well. I suspect it was sold and changed a lot before it went out.

Anyway, our close friend was an English/Theater prof and we went to Jocundry's with him after Saturday lunches out. Nice times.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 10:00 AM (ONvIw)

115 Re: dog books, there is also a children's book called "Silver Chief, Dog of the North." Basically a knockoff of London's "White Fang." My father's favorite book.

Posted by: Dr Alice at February 16, 2020 10:00 AM (oW/8k)

116 I'd never read Little Women, so I checked it out from the library.

It's so good! No wonder it's a perennial classic. It's warm and sentimental and endearing, but I had no idea it was so funny. Alcott has so many wry observations about her characters.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 09:51 AM (Dc2NZ)


The only reason I never read that was the time it would require to kick everyone's ass who called me a homo for doing so.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2020 10:00 AM (y7DUB)

117 "his (Mao's) intimate and intricate relationship with Stalin went back to the
1920s, ultimately bringing him to power; he welcomed Japanese occupation
of much of China; and he schemed, poisoned, and blackmailed to get his
way"

Stalin starved ten million to death in Ukraine, Mao did 'better' in China (seventy million). The old Soviets led the way in infiltrating the USA (e.g. Duranty's Pulitzer for covering up Ukraine genocide), and China also has leverage over our media.

imo the biggest threat to USA Liberty is the foreign infiltration (cartels from Mexico, China, Middle East, Russia and DeepState acting as its own country). They use bribery and threat to control our own government (and much of corporate America) and place their enforcer gangs in every major city. Our DeepState (as Mao did with Japan) invites them inside our house, to help destroy our sovereignty and liberty.


Obama loved Mao ... and was a great stooge for China, helping control the narrative ... on China's (communism's) behalf. We hope Trump/Pompeo are restructuring our alliances ... (Pompeo was just in Senegal, mentioning the lure of getting into relationships with snake China .. but Obama drew huge crowds there, Pompeo mostly ignored). An open internet helps, but the censors are hard at work.

Posted by: illiniwek at February 16, 2020 10:01 AM (Cus5s)

118 Kinda sorta friends with a guy who is a NYT bestselling fiction writer.

One time he let me pre-read one of his novels. I told him the female lead was not believable and neither was the romantic involvement.

He said clear in his answer, women buy 60% of books and they wanted to read about romances. So his military murder mystery had a female lead with romantic involvement.

He was quite mercenary about it.

Anyway, this is why Kindle book deals are romances. That's who buys book and what books they buy.

Posted by: blaster at February 16, 2020 10:02 AM (ZfRYq)

119 >>The only reason I never read that was the time it would require to kick everyone's ass who called me a homo for doing so.

You can let your feminine side out here. This is a safe space where nobody will get on your case.

Posted by: JackStraw at February 16, 2020 10:02 AM (ZLI7S)

120 The hardest thing about German is the gender. Every noun has a gender and in my advancing age, I've lost track.

No native speaker would get that wrong, and I lack the patience to do the vocab drills to relearn everything.

-
Well, they've probably have transgender nouns now anyway.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 10:03 AM (+y/Ru)

121 @111 Otter

They made a movie about that. It was well done.

Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at February 16, 2020 10:03 AM (gocCp)

122 That's Ava

reading "how to do your own tax return" by Al Capone

Posted by: REDACTED at February 16, 2020 10:03 AM (rpxSz)

123 119
>>The only reason I never read that was the time it would require
to kick everyone's ass who called me a homo for doing so.



You can let your feminine side out here. This is a safe space where nobody will get on your case.

Posted by: JackStraw at February 16, 2020 10:02 AM (ZLI7S)

---
That's why I come here!

Posted by: Corey Booker at February 16, 2020 10:04 AM (cfSRQ)

124 Well, it's time for me to get off the "fainting couch", wipe the ashes out of my hair and get a few things done before lunch.

I'll check back later.

Hope the 'ette looking for Ridin' the Rainbow tried Abebooks. Amazon is not the only game in town.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 10:04 AM (ONvIw)

125 I came across a famous book I have never heard of before

The Voynich Manuscript

dating from the 15th century, experts have been trying to decode its mysterious script since the 1900s

its filled with colorful drawings of plants, symbols, amd naked women

here is a scan of the entire manuscript

https://archive.org/details/TheVoynichManuscript

my personal opinion is that it is a plant reference, with some either magical or scientific theories about plant uses or botanical propagation

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 10:04 AM (G546f)

126 Well, they've probably have transgender nouns now anyway.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 10:03 AM (+y/Ru)

---
I doubt it.

Germans are real sticklers for certain things.

There's a reason people refer to "grammar Nazis."

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 10:05 AM (cfSRQ)

127 I loved our jaunt to The Archives and Curious Books. The Archives was like your slightly crazy genius grand-uncle's personal library -- treasures and shite just stacked everywhere. The proprietor is getting ready for a big purge of material to be sold outside the shop.

Curious Books has some of the grandest displays of pulp sci fi, westerns, detective, and romance I've ever seen, and in excellent condition. Of course I indulged my pulp SF sweet tooth! I also nabbed a couple Tom Swift and His Atomic [Device] thrillers.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 10:05 AM (Dc2NZ)

128 Got distracted by another short story . . . Wound up having to run because I forgot what time it is.
Posted by: Kindltot

"I don't wear a watch.

I tell time by the sun"

Posted by: JT at February 16, 2020 10:05 AM (arJlL)

129 76 We went through this same dummkopf syndrome with Reagan as with Trump. The Left's playbook never changes. Anybody who thinks inventively, boldly and irreverently has to be called stupid. They're so afraid of that.
Posted by: Dan Smoot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 09:40 AM (H8QX


I believe Newt Gingrich is an exception. I remember him in his heyday and even though the liberals hated him bigly, I don't recall them ever calling him stupid. Evil, yes, but not dumb.

And George W. Bush was both (a) a criminal mastermind and (b) dumb as a rock. At the same time. Later iterations of left-wing hate realized how foolish this obvious contradiction made them look, so they revised (a) to Dick Cheney, with Chimpy McBushitler as the front man.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 10:07 AM (AWstk)

130 Thanks, MPPP - I looked at Abe Books - the $4 copy is already gone. They have three for $30. PM and we'll work out the address and all.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at February 16, 2020 10:07 AM (xnmPy)

131 I assume Mao's philosophy was based more on evil Chinese emperor than Communist dictator.

The Com Dynasty

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 10:08 AM (2DOZq)

132 127
I loved our jaunt to The Archives and Curious Books. The Archives was
like your slightly crazy genius grand-uncle's personal library --
treasures and shite just stacked everywhere. The proprietor is getting
ready for a big purge of material to be sold outside the shop.



Curious Books has some of the grandest displays of pulp sci fi,
westerns, detective, and romance I've ever seen, and in excellent
condition. Of course I indulged my pulp SF sweet tooth! I also nabbed a
couple Tom Swift and His Atomic [Device] thrillers.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 10:05 AM (Dc2NZ)

---
I think I'll make a trip downtown on Monday then.

I'm sure there are some editions of Waugh that I need.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 10:08 AM (cfSRQ)

133 I read "Master of the World" by Jules Verne, based on a reference in the League of Extraordinary Gentleman graphic novels. Its very late in Verne's career and while the man is an amazingly creative guy who was a pioneer in science fiction, this is not a good book. Its a very short story about a simple subject incredibly padded and dully written.

The protagonist does little more than narrate events like a camera, the bad guy isn't really very bad, and the amazing technology that makes him the "master of the world" is a vehicle that goes really fast and doesn't run out of fuel, able to fly, submerge in water, run on land, and act as a boat.

I was very disappointed and you would be too, not recommended.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 10:08 AM (KZzsI)

134 The only reason I never read that was the time it would require to kick everyone's ass who called me a homo for doing so.
Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2020 10:00 AM (y7DUB)
---

Challenge them in The Octagon! Beat them with a hardbound copy.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 10:09 AM (Dc2NZ)

135 And George W. Bush was both (a) a criminal mastermind and (b) dumb as a rock. At the same time. Later iterations of left-wing hate realized how foolish they looked, so they changed (a) to Dick Cheney, with Chimpy McBushitler as the front man.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 10:07 AM (AWstk)

But that was also a contradiction to their earlier profile of Cheney. He was previously known as a moderate Republican that would work with the Dems.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 10:10 AM (2DOZq)

136 He said clear in his answer, women buy 60% of books and they wanted to read about romances. So his military murder mystery had a female lead with romantic involvement.

There is something to that. I write the books I am interested in and the story I have to tell, but its not the story most book buyers are desperate to read. Only one of them has any true romance in it, and no female protagonists. Well the last one the woman is the axle around which the whole story rotates but she's not the main character.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 10:10 AM (KZzsI)

137 OK, folks, think I'll make a second cup of tea and settle down with my new books. Hope you all have a wonderful day.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 10:11 AM (Ki5SV)

138 131
I assume Mao's philosophy was based more on evil Chinese emperor than Communist dictator.



The Com Dynasty

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 10:08 AM (2DOZq)

---
I've seen expats writing that the old Chinese Confucian beliefs have essentially been eradicated in all but the most remote parts of China. They live on in the West through the expat community and also the Taiwan exiles.

But on the mainland? Gone.

In its place is an atheistic will-to-power based on getting mine and screwing everyone else. That's why they paint toys with lead paint, build schools that collapse and introduce poisonous filler into baby formula.

They literally don't care about anything than getting rich.

And avoiding the camps. So loyalty > competence.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 10:11 AM (cfSRQ)

139 Speaking of foreign languages, I learned something interesting about Latin. We use the word uncle to describe our mother's brother and our father's brother. The Roman had not only different words but different roles in the family. Mother's brother was avunculus and was the friendly, happy go lucky friend to the children. Father's brother was patruus, and was the family drill instructor keeping the kids on the straight and narrow. So if both your brother and your sister had children, you would be the drill instructor to one family and Good Time Charlie to the other.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 10:11 AM (+y/Ru)

140 Eugenics will certainly "work" with humans - the problem from the utilitarian pov is that we would end up like overbred canine breeds and probably extinctify ourselves

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 10:12 AM (G546f)

141 Vic: I once read a book by L. E. Modessit (I think) that had a premise that the Norse gods were alien time travellers who policed the timeline and kept history secure; the viewpoint character was Loki.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Did he come out with a sequel to it?

Was it any good?

Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain, Channeling Vir, and Waving, Like This.... at February 16, 2020 10:12 AM (dwojT)

142 108
I am reading O'Brien's The Mauritius Command.
.......

Posted by: Kindltot at February 16, 2020 09:56 AM (6rS3m)
_______

IMO, the best in the series. It is also VERY accurate in the account of the battle.

I'm a big O'Brian fan, but I will warn that there is one point on which he is not entirely accurate, which is gunnery. Rapid fire and accuracy were incompatible. (He also - like Forrester - trusts Cochrane too much. There is really no other source for "never mind maneuvers, just go straight at them." And it doesn't comport with Nelson's actual record.)

Which doesn't alter my love of the Aubread at all.

BTW, my wife tells me that Paul Betany (Maturin) is married to Jennifer Connolly. She is a close fit to Diana Villiers, Maturin's wife.

Posted by: Eeyore at February 16, 2020 10:13 AM (ZbwAu)

143 Vincent Price was Robur in the Master of the World movie. The movie was probably better than the book.

Posted by: freaked at February 16, 2020 10:13 AM (Tnijr)

144 I guess that I've gotten too cynical.

I clicked over to Amazon to read the

"The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse" sample: all excited to check out the next "Winnie the Pooh" or "Wind in the Willows".

Only TBTMTFaTH appears to be this year's "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" genetically crossed with the "Love is..." single panel comic strip.

Or a tremendously, syrupy and sappy Calvin and Hobbes.

The "when I grow up I want to be kind" thing had my eyes rolling so hard, I had to grab my hockey stick to corral them back into my skull.

That is exactly the kind of thing that an adult would put into a fictional child's mouth that a real-life child would never ever say.


The genius of "Winnie the Pooh" or "Wind in the Willows" is that while whimsical and warm-hearted real danger and real problems exist. These are handled in a humorous or whimsical way and more importantly in a way that a child might handle them.

Eh. Well, everyone likes something different.

I really like the Japanese sumi art inspired drawings.

Too bad they're not attached to worthy words.


Since, I haven't read the entire book, I'm willing to be wrong.

But, that sample....holy cow!

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2020 10:13 AM (z0XD8)

145 140
Eugenics will certainly "work" with humans - the problem from the
utilitarian pov is that we would end up like overbred canine breeds and
probably extinctify ourselves





Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 10:12 AM (G546f)

---
The central conceit of eugenics is that the people pushing it never consider that *they* might be the ones sterilized and put to sleep.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 10:14 AM (cfSRQ)

146 Anyone else read Stephen Hunter's Dirty White Boys? I've read a lot of his books but just read this one which is one of his older ones. Little different for him but I really enjoyed it.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 10:16 AM (2DOZq)

147 Bush was so stupid, he flew fighter jets. Forbidden history.

Posted by: klaftern at February 16, 2020 10:16 AM (RuIsu)

148 Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd

congrats on finishing the new vampire book!

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 10:16 AM (G546f)

149 Stephen Hunter....

Think I read Dirty White Boys some years ago.

ut no real memory fit.

I thought Point of Impact was an absolutely outstanding novel.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 10:18 AM (tT0V4)

150 131
I assume Mao's philosophy was based more on evil Chinese emperor than Communist dictator.

The Com Dynasty

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth


IF I remember rightly Marx actually looked to China and the early "Year Zero" parts of all the revolutions as an active model for his Way Things Should Be, so you run into a chicken-and-the-egg sort of thing there.

I agree with what A. H. Lloyd said about confucianism, but I'd extend it to their other belief systems like buddhism and taoism as well: they only tolerate religion as being that religion's branding wrapped around maoist propaganda, which these days is all about power/money conjugate for the party and the connected.

Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain, Channeling Vir, and Waving, Like This.... at February 16, 2020 10:20 AM (dwojT)

151 138
I've seen expats writing that the old Chinese Confucian beliefs have essentially been eradicated in all but the most remote parts of China. They live on in the West through the expat community and also the Taiwan exiles.

But on the mainland? Gone.

........
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 10:11 AM (cfSRQ)
______

That's what always creeped me out about Mao, above all the others. Even Stalin didn't try to entirely eradicate Russian culture. But that was exactly what Mao did. I saw this in the late 60s, and it always amazed me how many of my contemporaries didn't.

I don't know of any other country that simply killed it's own soul. Not conquered from outside, but all by themselves. (Though the Western left is trying to do the same.)

Posted by: Eeyore at February 16, 2020 10:21 AM (ZbwAu)

152 141
Vic: I once read a book by L. E. Modessit (I think) that had a premise
that the Norse gods were alien time travellers who policed the timeline
and kept history secure; the viewpoint character was Loki.



Does any of this sound familiar?



Did he come out with a sequel to it?



Was it any good?

Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain, Channeling Vir, and Waving, Like This.... at February 16, 2020 10:12 AM (dwojT)


I have read three series by him but I don't remember that one.

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2020 10:21 AM (mpXpK)

153 Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 09:56 AM (cfSRQ)

Thanks.

I never can quite figure out German pronunciation.

Now, I can use it and sound all (millimeter-deep) brainy.

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2020 10:22 AM (z0XD8)

154 Check out the reading list at Pulp Librarian:

https://twitter.com/PulpLibrarian

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 10:22 AM (Dc2NZ)

155 "I assume Mao's philosophy was based more on evil Chinese emperor than Communist dictator."

Belief in "The State", or in "The Emperor" ... both count on propaganda of some Utopian Central Power that has the interests of all the people at heart. Your personal suffering is for the greater good.


The Hong Kong enlightenment period has challenged that, and Xi wants to keep that under control. But the internet is a problem for them ... that doctor that revealed the virus, was forced to sign a confession he had lied, now is a martyr for the cause of "freedom".


But we can't lock up our own coup plotters, so justice weeps here as well.

Posted by: illiniwek at February 16, 2020 10:23 AM (Cus5s)

156 I thought Point of Impact was an absolutely outstanding novel.
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 10:18 AM (tT0V4)

Yes that's probably his best. Might have been his first book? I liked Hot Springs a lot too. The Swaggers were great protagonists.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 10:23 AM (2DOZq)

157 They literally don't care about anything than getting rich.
And avoiding the camps. So loyalty > competence.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 10:11 AM (cfSRQ)

Yup.....The ChiComs and the Chinee are like one big mafia family.

You either pay or get paid. Confucius got the Morrie Kessler treatment a long time ago.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at February 16, 2020 10:23 AM (Z+IKu)

158 I'm.... not getting through the post very quickly today.

Posterior Osculators - a hasty-baked lamerick webwork

I sought for plain information,
Facts without adulteration.
But all media minions
Had naught but opinions,
Posterior osculations!

Hm. Needs some work to foreshadow the subplot more in the first chapter, don't you think? heh

I'd struggle for a day to improve it; Muldoon would do a better riff without breathing hard.

Posted by: mindful webworker
O'muse bein' my muse 2day
at February 16, 2020 10:23 AM (7OF+y)

159 Nabokov preLolita is full of clunkers. King,Queen, Knave, Invitation to a Beheading and Pnin are worth reading.

Posted by: Jamaica NYC at February 16, 2020 10:23 AM (4vNgL)

160 Amazon is not the only game in town.
Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 10:04 AM (ONvIw)


Abebooks was purchased by Amazon in 2008. They, like Google and Apple are buying up all their competitors.

Posted by: Lunatic Fringe at February 16, 2020 10:25 AM (ClCgE)

161 I finished reading Wolf Pack by C.J. Box.

Excellent book, excellent series by an excellent author.

Posted by: JT at February 16, 2020 10:26 AM (arJlL)

162 Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain, Channeling Vir, and Waving, Like This.... at February 16, 2020 10:12 AM (dwojT)

The Timegod series, 3 books

never read so I dunno,sound cool though

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 10:27 AM (G546f)

163 As a kid I read the kid version of them, a series
about an Irish Setter named Red. Big Red, Outlaw Red. Jim Kjellgard. I
never hear anyone talk about them but they were my faves at one point.
Posted by: Bandersnatch at February 16, 2020 09:43 AM (gd9RK)


Kjellgard and Walt Morey were some of my favorite authors at one time.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 16, 2020 10:27 AM (6rS3m)

164
I clicked over to Amazon to read the

"The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse" sample: all excited to check out the next "Winnie the Pooh" or "Wind in the Willows".

Only TBTMTFaTH appears to be this year's "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" genetically crossed with the "Love is..." single panel comic strip.

Or a tremendously, syrupy and sappy Calvin and Hobbes.



The 'art' is headache-inducing, as well.

Posted by: Mr. Peebles at February 16, 2020 10:27 AM (oVJmc)

165
But we can't lock up our own coup plotters, so justice weeps here as well.


Posted by: illiniwek at February 16, 2020 10:23 AM (Cus5s)

---
I'm not going to get into that here, because I'm tired of talking about it. Seems like it's the only topic we discuss.

Instead, I will simply point out that all the prosecutions in the world don't mean jack if your judges are crooked. Trump and Cocaine Mitch are doing tremendous work that no one really notices. They will notice it soon enough, though.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 10:27 AM (cfSRQ)

166 100 ... Eris,
Glad you had fun at the book stores yesterday. I just ordered a Kindle "Little Women" after the way you enjoyed it. I probably wouldn't have got a copy when younger. But I am now old enough, big enough, mean enough, and sufficiently well armed that no one is likely to laugh at me about the book.

Posted by: JTB at February 16, 2020 10:28 AM (7EjX1)

167 They, like Google and Apple are buying up all their competitors.
Posted by: Lunatic Fringe at February 16, 2020 10:25 AM (ClCgE)

heard on the radio yesterday that the gubmint is actually investigating whether the way tech giants buy up small competitors falls under breaking da rulez

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 10:29 AM (G546f)

168 That's what always creeped me out about Mao, above all the others. Even Stalin didn't try to entirely eradicate Russian culture. But that was exactly what Mao did. I saw this in the late 60s, and it always amazed me how many of my contemporaries didn't.

I don't know of any other country that simply killed it's own soul. Not conquered from outside, but all by themselves. (Though the Western left is trying to do the same.)
Posted by: Eeyore


Well, they had a push from outside, remember Stalin put Mao in power...

And the Soviets were put in power by the Germans at the end of WW1 because it was easier than occupying the place. It was a way of controlling Russia and cutting it down to size and making them think it was their idea.

Evaluate what happened in China post 1948 in that light...

Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain, Channeling Vir, and Waving, Like This.... at February 16, 2020 10:29 AM (dwojT)

169 Eugenics will certainly "work" with humans - the problem from the
utilitarian pov is that we would end up like overbred canine breeds and
probably extinctify ourselves





Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 10:12 AM (G546f)

---
The central conceit of eugenics is that the people pushing it never consider that *they* might be the ones sterilized and put to sleep.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 10:14 AM (cfSRQ)



IIRC, the Nazis actually did some eugenic breeding to produce "perfect Aryans".

But, the kiddos they produced in the end were all kinda nutty and failures at life.

Whether this was nature or nurture or a combo of both I have no idea.

But, with the fall of Nazi Germany, etc, and the way these kids might've been handled/mishandled, I'm leaning toward nurture. But, who knows?

No doubt we'll be seeing some of that from China in a few years.

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2020 10:29 AM (z0XD8)

170 Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 10:27 AM (cfSRQ

The perpetual #TwoWeeks .

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 10:29 AM (2DOZq)

171 People have already said it but I'll add: who dis is the worst picture ever taken of Ava Gardner.

Posted by: JuJuBee, just generally being shamey at February 16, 2020 10:30 AM (COzlW)

172 Boys from Brazil

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 10:31 AM (2DOZq)

173 Arabic also distinguishes between types of uncle. looks like protoSemitic.

Posted by: Boulder t'hobo at February 16, 2020 10:32 AM (4y8IQ)

174 Rosemary Taylor's books----and millions of other OOP titles ---are available at www.Abebooks.com

Posted by: Noam Sayen at February 16, 2020 10:32 AM (WJcbb)

175 I just started reading Tony Bennett's autobiography.

he starts out explaing how his great-grandparents came to America and then great uncles and great aunts and cousins.......etc.

And while reading that part , I was reminded of Seinfeld's "Who figures an immigrant is gonna have a pony? I mean of all the pictures I've seen of immigrants coming over on boats, I've NEVER seen one sittin' on a pony " riff.

Posted by: JT at February 16, 2020 10:32 AM (arJlL)

176 "who dis is the worst picture ever taken of Ava Gardner."

That wasn't Bob Hope?

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 10:33 AM (tT0V4)

177
Children raised by the state are always comparatively messed up. Can't imagine being raised by SS scientists would somehow be better than other children of the state.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at February 16, 2020 10:33 AM (uKj5K)

178 That's what always creeped me out about Mao, above all the others. Even Stalin didn't try to entirely eradicate Russian culture. But that was exactly what Mao did. I saw this in the late 60s, and it always amazed me how many of my contemporaries didn't.

I don't know of any other country that simply killed it's own soul. Not conquered from outside, but all by themselves. (Though the Western left is trying to do the same.)
Posted by: Eeyore at February 16, 2020 10:21 AM (ZbwAu)


I have heard that the Chinese Cultural Revolution destroyed all of the existing photographs of pre-Revolution China. Every last one. So any reproductions that you see in history books came from photos that had providentially been not in China during the 60s.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 10:34 AM (AWstk)

179 And in many cases they are a lot cheaper than what you pay on Amazon.

Posted by: Noam Sayen at February 16, 2020 10:34 AM (WJcbb)

180 OM: I'm impressed with these choices. (Trump's China books)

Me, too. Thanks for the info. I have come to appreciate President Art of the Deal's methods, but I do always wonder how much does he really know about all these huge issues he tackles every day? Just these few books give a good glimpse into how he informs himself. Good to know.

Sometimes #winning is just a warm glow.

Posted by: mindful webworker
Making really great deals with China, really yuge
at February 16, 2020 10:34 AM (7OF+y)

181 "Can't imagine being raised by SS scientists would somehow be better than other children of the state."

Crossing mediums for a moment, didn't Man in the High Castle have a side story about that?

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 10:35 AM (tT0V4)

182 I really like the Japanese sumi art inspired drawings.

Too bad they're not attached to worthy words.
!
Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2020 10:13 AM (z0XD

I've seen a kid's book which is actually based on an old Chinese scroll painting, with the words telling the story
it's about this boy who grows up to battle ogres and pirates
very cool
I'll try yo remember the title

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 10:36 AM (G546f)

183 I don't know of any other country that simply killed it's own soul. Not conquered from outside, but all by themselves. (Though the Western left is trying to do the same.)
Posted by: Eeyore



You're seeing it right now in real time here in the good ole US of A.

Since Obama, there isn't a single part of popular culture, the MSM, the academia, the Democrat Party that isn't out to extinguish the soul and beating heart of America.

Sad.

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2020 10:36 AM (z0XD8)

184 vmom and Lloyd have the right of it concerning "eu" genics.

the problem with the One Ring is NOT that it doesn't work.

Posted by: Boulder t'hobo at February 16, 2020 10:36 AM (4y8IQ)

185 Mao installed 2 way mirrors in his house. He'd invite his buddies over to get it on with what-not while he watched on the other side of the mirror dressed in women's clothes.

My bad, that was John Wayne. I was thinking the original "Repo Man" movie.

I'm not judging.

Posted by: Groundhog at February 16, 2020 10:37 AM (VYwSh)

186 Oregon Muse, you should go to Taipei and see the museum they have there

Posted by: Boulder t'hobo at February 16, 2020 10:37 AM (4y8IQ)

187 182 Momotaro and the Island of Pirates

!!!!
nice

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 10:38 AM (G546f)

188 The perpetual #TwoWeeks .

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 10:29 AM (2DOZq)

---
Nope, just sick of the constant negativity.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 10:40 AM (cfSRQ)

189 A friend read that book on Mao written by his personal physician. The Great Helmsman didn't believe in dental hygiene and his teeth were literally green.

Imagine being one of the many teens plucked from the adoring throngs for his amusement, and facing That Mole and Those Teeth. Yeesh!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 10:41 AM (Dc2NZ)

190 OK, so I'm a first time visitor here but it looks to be my go-to book discussion from now on. If for no other reason than that someone brought up my favorite Marx (Groucho) quote. I've just started my second go-round with The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire so I'm not likely to have new books to comment on for awhile

Posted by: Who knew at February 16, 2020 10:43 AM (SfO/T)

191 "OK, so I'm a first time visitor here but it looks to be my go-to book discussion from now on."

Welcome.


Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 10:45 AM (tT0V4)

192 Nope, just sick of the constant negativity.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd

I think some people would complain about the AC setting in heaven

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 10:45 AM (G546f)

193 Morning Readers!

Posted by: Weasel at February 16, 2020 10:46 AM (cb9b5)

194 192: And some people would point to the pretty sky when they're being dragged off to the reeducation camps...lol.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 10:48 AM (Tabvs)

195 Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 10:41 AM (Dc2NZ)

And his breath...

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 16, 2020 10:48 AM (O3iMY)

196 I keep receiving letters from the Cuckpatch threatening to cut off my supply of their whiny, low-T dreck if I don't start paying for it. Oh noes!!

But, I'm guessing they're having trouble seating the paying users (Quelle horreur! Sacre bleu! Who could ever have foreseen this?), because I continue to receive a soy-soaked screed from one or another of their pudgy thumb-people every day.

Today's lamentably stupid and sanctimonious piety from David French was extra sad.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice... EJEXIT: If Not Now, When? at February 16, 2020 10:49 AM (pftYY)

197 196; People pay?

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 10:49 AM (Tabvs)

198 ''Yesterday, grammie winger mentioned she was tired of all those romances by women writers that take up most of the Kindle Daily Deals. I agree. The one benefit is it allows me to go through the lists very quickly. But if these types of books are so popular, it makes me wonder just how many feminist fanatics are really out there. Or is it just a small number of VERY LOUD cvnts trying to irritate everyone else.''

The huge number of romances published every year leads me to believe women are still women and adore the hunky alpha male hero. I'm guessing the loud irritating group read them on the sly.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2020 10:49 AM (RueoN)

199
I'm a big O'Brian fan, but I will warn that
there is one point on which he is not entirely accurate, which is
gunnery. Rapid fire and accuracy were incompatible. (He also - like
Forrester - trusts Cochrane too much. There is really no other source
for "never mind maneuvers, just go straight at them." And it doesn't
comport with Nelson's actual record.)



[. . .]
Posted by: Eeyore at February 16, 2020 10:13 AM (ZbwAu)


No one really trusted Cochrane, even O'Brien says that he moves things around to make a better story.
in the forward to Mauritius Command he states he does so but there will be no unicorns or mermaids, and (calling back to Mandeville, et al) any crocodile that eats someone will not be crying about it . . . and then Lord Clonfert keeps going on about unicorns and they see a dugong

I suspect Nelson would have listened to some young officer spinning ropes of sand out of how to out-trick the French and getting exasperated at the vaporing tell him to "forget all that, just go at them"

Cochrane, by the way, was a madman. In his assault on the Spanish in Chile and Peru, he was courageous, grossly insubordinate, and resorted to piracy out of spite for not being paid. He had about the same record in working with the Brazilians in their rebellion against Portugal.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 16, 2020 10:50 AM (6rS3m)

200 "Trump and Cocaine Mitch are doing tremendous work that no one really notices. They will notice it soon enough, though." Posted by Lloyd

Mitch hated the tea party, marginalized them at every turn. Mitch/Chao got fortunes from Chao's fam that is wealthy from China trade, and it sure seems many China friendly trade deals happened under Mitch. I put him in the category of not completely selling out the US, but enabling the globalists.


Since he came from a conservative state, imo he is a pretender that poses as conservative. We get better judges with Mitch ... and he may be crafty in wrangling support from the likes of Romney and the weak sisters ... so hard to see behind the DC Curtain. But he was on board the China build up and got ($20M?) family wealth from that region.

Posted by: illiniwek at February 16, 2020 10:51 AM (Cus5s)

201 The perpetual #TwoWeeks .

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 10:29 AM (2DOZq)

---
Nope, just sick of the constant negativity.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 10:40 AM (cfSRQ)

I don't disagree entirely about the unnecessary negativity even about positive developments but I'm equally tired of all the rose colored glasses and wait and see commentary. I myself see the continued process that's been happening for decades of one step forward, two steps back.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 10:51 AM (2DOZq)

202 195 Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 10:41 AM (Dc2NZ)

And his breath...
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 16, 2020 10:48 AM (O3iMY)


Oh, *now* he shows up.

What a delinquent.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 10:52 AM (AWstk)

203 People pay?
Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 10:49 AM (Tabvs)

------

They keep pretending people will, but it seems the Omidyars of the world are the only ones who'll bite.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice... EJEXIT: If Not Now, When? at February 16, 2020 10:53 AM (pftYY)

204 Oregon Muse, you should go to Taipei and see the museum they have there

Posted by: Boulder t'hobo at February 16, 2020 10:37 AM (4y8IQ)



I'm going to Taipei later this year, assuming the coronavirus dealio does get out of hand.

Do you have any specific recommendations for things to see, places to visit, restaurants to eat at?

If so, I would greatly appreciate it.

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2020 10:53 AM (z0XD8)

205 198: Women gobble up the happily ever after stuff, especially when the hero is rich, handsome, and professed his undying devotion. It's fantasy fiction, just without the gore and dragons, or the wild west

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 10:56 AM (5wOoy)

206 The huge number of romances published every year leads me to believe women are still women and adore the hunky alpha male hero. I'm guessing the loud irritating group read them on the sly.
Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2020 10:49 AM (RueoN)


I'll bet they do. For all of the feminist/sjw screeching about how men and women are exactly the sane so you shut up now and no backtalk, romance publishing is a billion-dollar industry that says otherwise.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 10:57 AM (AWstk)

207 47 So, since Monday is my birthday, I decided to give myself an early present, and drove up to Avenue Victor Hugo Books in Lee, NH:

https://tinyurl.com/wfb7zxr

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 16, 2020 09:27 AM (Ki5SV)
---
Reporter: Sitting here, surrounded by your books -- how does that make you feel?

Vince McCaffrey: Have you ever seen pigs in mud?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 10:57 AM (Dc2NZ)

208 203: I don't expect their admiring libs will whip out the credit card. What a joke.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 10:58 AM (5wOoy)

209 198
''Yesterday, grammie winger mentioned she was tired of all those
romances by women writers that take up most of the Kindle Daily Deals. I
agree. The one benefit is it allows me to go through the lists very
quickly. But if these types of books are so popular, it makes me wonder
just how many feminist fanatics are really out there. Or is it just a
small number of VERY LOUD cvnts trying to irritate everyone else.''



The huge number of romances published every year leads me to believe
women are still women and adore the hunky alpha male hero. I'm
guessing the loud irritating group read them on the sly.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2020 10:49 AM (RueoN)
-------
It's certainly better to write books no one wants. Well, unless you are Mayor of Baltimore.Seriously, if you have a skill for creating pulp fiction and there's a market for it, why not? Books are a product. Very few intentionally turn out products to not sell.

Posted by: Groundhog at February 16, 2020 10:58 AM (VYwSh)

210 205 198: Women gobble up the happily ever after stuff, especially when the hero is rich, handsome, and professed his undying devotion. It's fantasy fiction, just without the gore and dragons, or the wild west
Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 10:56 AM (5wOoy)


It's basically porn for women.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 10:59 AM (AWstk)

211 I've always liked "Little Women" and I really liked "Little Men". The book, not Bloomberg. I don't know why that book doesn't get as much love as "Little Women".
Has anybody read "Unicorn Highway" by David Lee Jones? That's a book that I have to take out and re-read every so often. "Watership Down" is another book like that for me.

Posted by: Bean Counteress of Rohan at February 16, 2020 10:59 AM (2+j2N)

212 A friend read that book on Mao written by his personal physician. The Great Helmsman didn't believe in dental hygiene and his teeth were literally green.

Imagine being one of the many teens plucked from the adoring throngs for his amusement, and facing That Mole and Those Teeth. Yeesh!
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 10:41 AM (Dc2NZ)


The story goes that Marx was apparently unwilling to lift a finger to attend his own personal hygiene.

If I recall correctly, he "moved" through his life as if someone else was responsible for these things, and treated his wife as a servant on whom he constantly heaped abuse.

And then there was Hilter, who had such awful gastro problems, he was constantly popping "antacid" medicines, and farting like a warthog all the time.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:00 AM (hku12)

213 Children's books seem to be money maker if you could capture that esoteric and fleeting flavor of the day for kids.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 11:02 AM (2DOZq)

214 And then there was Hilter, who had such awful gastro problems, he was constantly popping "antacid" medicines, and farting like a warthog all the time.
Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:00 AM (hku12)

If Hitler can't fart publicly, who can?

Posted by: Northernlurker at February 16, 2020 11:02 AM (Uu+Jp)

215 209: Van Gogh, but few are remembered. Even popular authors can be quickly forgotten, so if money is no object, write what you love.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 11:02 AM (5wOoy)

216 And then there was Hilter, who had such awful gastro problems, he was constantly popping "antacid" medicines, and farting like a warthog all the time.
Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:00 AM (hku12)
------
If your diet was turnips, carrots and potatoes, you would, too.

Posted by: A Warthog at February 16, 2020 11:03 AM (jW9oF)

217 "And then there was Hilter, who had such awful gastro problems, he was constantly popping "antacid" medicines, and farting like a warthog all the time."

Is there any evidence to suggest this?

That warthogs fart excessively.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 11:03 AM (tT0V4)

218 And then there was Hilter, who had such awful gastro
problems, he was constantly popping "antacid" medicines, and farting
like a warthog all the time.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:00 AM (hku12)

Well, launching a 1000-year reich is a bit stressful.

Posted by: Count de Monet at February 16, 2020 11:04 AM (dQ1sa)

219 And then there was Hilter, who had such awful gastro problems, he was constantly popping "antacid" medicines, and farting like a warthog all the time.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:00 AM (hku12)



Finally, someone notices the good things about Hitler.

Posted by: Warthog at February 16, 2020 11:04 AM (z0XD8)

220 210: but rarely as blatant as 50 shades.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 11:04 AM (5wOoy)

221 It's basically porn for women.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 10:59 AM (AWstk)
---

Porn is the romance novel industry for men.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:04 AM (Dc2NZ)

222 "Children's books seem to be money maker if you could capture that esoteric and fleeting flavor of the day for kids."

Not by accident that Baltimore's former Mayor went the Children's Book route.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 11:04 AM (tT0V4)

223 I'd be surprised if Jerry Nadler isn't unusually flatulent.

Posted by: Northernlurker at February 16, 2020 11:05 AM (Uu+Jp)

224 Just finished the second book in Charlaine Harris(of Sookie Stackhouse fame) new series. First book called An Easy Death and the second one A Longer Fall. The books are set in a dystopian North American continent consisting of multiple different entities including Texoma, Mexico,Brittania on the east coast and the The Holy Russian Empire on the West Coast with vast tracts of uninhabited land in between. Because there are bandits everywhere, you need guards to move people and goods around. Enter 19 year old Gunny Rose, a sharpshooter raised in Texoma, an independent pants wearing rebel in a time when most women need to be sheltered. It feels like an old time Western set in the late1800's until Grigoris enter the picture. They are Rasputin descended magicians in service to the tsar of the HRE. Concept is unique and you are kept guessing about who the characters really are and what their true motives are until the end. Fast read and very entertaining.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 16, 2020 11:05 AM (QzF6i)

225 That warthogs fart excessively.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 11:03 AM (tT0V4)


Sorry.

Posted by: Pumba at February 16, 2020 11:06 AM (dQ1sa)

226 Children's books seem to be money maker if you could capture that esoteric and fleeting flavor of the day for kids.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 11:02 AM (2DOZq)


I don't do graphic novels and I don't do cartoons (mostly) but someone drew my attention to Axe Cop, which is a collaborator between and illustrator and his five year old nephew.


Posted by: Kindltot at February 16, 2020 11:06 AM (6rS3m)

227 223: Not uncommon with bariatric surgery

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 11:06 AM (5wOoy)

228 The huge number of romances published every year leads me to believe women are still women and adore the hunky alpha male hero. I'm guessing the loud irritating group read them on the sly.
Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2020 10:49 AM (RueoN)

I'll bet they do. For all of the feminist/sjw screeching about how men and women are exactly the sane so you shut up now and no backtalk, romance publishing is a billion-dollar industry that says otherwise.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 10:57 AM (AWstk)


Anyone who operates in the world knows this. It's an amazing phenomenon, how we see and hear "news" stories about the ways women are changing, and then hear the intellectuals tell us how gender is a social construct.

Then we go out into the real world, and women are gushing over Valentine flowers and candy.

Are those other things real? Sure they are, but they're such a tiny portion of the human race... and yet... we're bending to a political and social will that enforces it all with such ferocity.

Why, it's almost like the Mao/Stalin/Hilter thing.

Almost.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:06 AM (hku12)

229 It's basically porn for women.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 10:59 AM (AWstk)


Seems like there would be more shoes in the cover illustrations.

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 11:07 AM (t+qrx)

230 I'd be surprised if Jerry Nadler isn't unusually flatulent.

Posted by: Northernlurker at February 16, 2020 11:05 AM (Uu+Jp)



Actually, he only farts once a week.

But, when he does it sounds like one of the Tripods from Tom Cruise's "War of the Worlds".


You can hear it all over DC.

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2020 11:07 AM (z0XD8)

231 230: The congressional lib call to prayer

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 11:08 AM (5wOoy)

232 221: this is known.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at February 16, 2020 11:08 AM (dbIsf)

233 Women gobble up the happily ever after stuff, especially when the hero is rich, handsome, and professed his undying devotion. It's fantasy fiction, just without the gore and dragons, or the wild west

That's exactly right. Guys like a knight in shining armor fighting a dragon on a bridge while the village escapes, women like the hunky mchugepecs crushing the independent and smart yet helpless heroine's lips in a passionate kiss. Its all fantasy nonsense but it is harmless and sometimes can be quite well-written.

I've been ranting about this a lot lately, but snobbish literati claim that "genre" fiction is low and "novels" are literary. And that's crap. ALL fiction is genre. Its just a question of which genre you write, not whether. That novel you gush over about the sad boy who commit suicide because he's overtaken with ennui is genre too: misery porn genre.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:09 AM (KZzsI)

234 Porn is the romance novel industry for men.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:04 AM (Dc2NZ)

There are of course real graphic porn books . And just as with everything thing , men like directness and women like subtleness.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 11:09 AM (2DOZq)

235 "Nope, just sick of the constant negativity."

ha ... discussing Mao/Stalin influence in America is not "constant negativity". The point of looking at Mao/Stalin is to analyze how they have infiltrated (past and present influence), so as to stop them. The battle lines have to be recognized ... along with the hopes that "change is coming".

Real analysis is going to have a lot of "negatives" as Trump and team expose the left. As I understand it, battles are lost when the field officers are afraid to tell the truth about what is really going on. (insert Hitler video meme here, where he is informed of bad news) heh.

Posted by: illiniwek at February 16, 2020 11:09 AM (Cus5s)

236 "And then there was Hilter, who had such awful gastro problems, he was constantly popping "antacid" medicines, and farting like a warthog all the time."
------------------------------
Is there any evidence to suggest this?

That warthogs fart excessively.
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 11:03 AM (tT0V4)


Only one of the most popular documentaries of all time.

I learned everything I know about African wildlife from The Lion King.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:09 AM (hku12)

237 This is very triggering.

https://tinyurl.com/wg27f6x

Posted by: JackStraw at February 16, 2020 11:10 AM (ZLI7S)

238 235: Pretty sure criticism of the DOJ is the issue, not Mao. But Trump criticizes the DOJ, good. company.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 11:11 AM (5wOoy)

239 Its hard at this point to work out what is real about old Adolph and what was the work of British Pysops to demoralize the Germans and encourage their own boys. Maybe it doesn't even matter, the man was a monster no matter how incontinent or who many mangerines he really had.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:11 AM (KZzsI)

240 "I learned everything I know about African wildlife from The Lion King."

Guess the name of one movie which I have never seen.

Go ahead,


Bet you can't do it.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 11:12 AM (tT0V4)

241 You know, they call NASCAR racers 'cars' but there's only a passing resemblance. It has four wheels and an engine. They make the outside look something like a car.

But the STOCK CAR portion of the name is either mockery or some fond nostalgic reference.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:13 AM (KZzsI)

242 233: Precisely, and well said.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 11:13 AM (5wOoy)

243 Apropos of nothing, except maybe farting Nazis:

"Jojo Rabbit" comes out on blu-ray this week.

Didn't it just open about a month or so ago?


It must've really bombed hard at the box office.

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2020 11:13 AM (z0XD8)

244 Anybody ever read this?

https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/357981/

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 11:15 AM (tT0V4)

245 I have tried to read a lot of the "great novels" and most of them are, while well written, miserable crap. Its hopeless, none of the characters are likable, the plot usually goes nowhere, its like watching French cinema. Great, you made something to impress your peers. But books are meant to be read and enjoyed, not impress.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:15 AM (KZzsI)

246 If there was evah a confluence of evidence that we MUST keep as many Lefties in the Dem Primary race, this is the weekend:

Uncle Joe Biden: No one needs an AR-15. Period.

Seth Abramson: RETWEET if you believe Trump won't concede if he loses in November.(Is Seth a *sock* for Stacey Abrams?)

Richard Dawkins: Its one thing to deplore eugenics on ideological, political, moral grounds. Its quite another to conclude that it wouldnt work in practice.

Posted by: socalcon at February 16, 2020 11:15 AM (Roy2Z)

247 Panzershrek - German word for Hillary

Posted by: Anna Puma at February 16, 2020 11:15 AM (X2ND2)

248 Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:11 AM (KZzsI)

We do know he was a vegetarian and meth addict. Sounds like a typical resident of San Francisco .

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 11:15 AM (2DOZq)

249 Porn is the romance novel industry for men.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:04 AM (Dc2NZ)


While there may be actual sex in romance novels, there is little or no actual romance in pron.

Or so I'm told.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:16 AM (AWstk)

250 Without my glasses this am, but are those really long feet on Who Dis?

Posted by: socalcon at February 16, 2020 11:16 AM (Roy2Z)

251 Anybody ever read this?

not I. But writer's block is usually "something I'm writing isn't working but I only know it at a gut level instinct" or "I'm scared it will suck".

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:16 AM (KZzsI)

252 This is very triggering.

https://tinyurl.com/wg27f6x

-
The Hillary car is in the ditch.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 11:16 AM (+y/Ru)

253 A while back, I posted about a book titled A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. The BBC did a television series based on the book which was really good. Great casting and true to the excellent book. The series is now out on DVD if anyone is interested. Second season based on second book coming soon.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 16, 2020 11:17 AM (QzF6i)

254 All this talk of warthogs made me think of Wonder Warthog. Anybody remember that comic? My older sister used to bring it home along with the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:18 AM (Dc2NZ)

255 We do know he was a vegetarian and meth addict.

Most of the German army was addicted to amphetamines. The thing is, they just thought it was a wonder drug, they didn't really understand how destructive and awful it was over time. Take this and you can keep going! James Bond took them, for example back when they weren't clear on the long term effects.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:18 AM (KZzsI)

256 This is very triggering.

https://tinyurl.com/wg27f6x

-
The Hillary car is in the ditch.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 11:16 AM (+y/Ru)


2010 vintage long-form Iowahawk:
https://tinyurl.com/yyg9s7rh

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 11:18 AM (t+qrx)

257 My brothers used to buy and bring home Freak Brothers comics. They were so much fun, just hilarious and goofy. And while they were allegedly drug comics, they really did not in any way glorify or encourage drug-taking. If anything they made drugs look stupid and destructive.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:19 AM (KZzsI)

258 All this talk of warthogs made me think of Wonder Warthog. Anybody remember that comic? My older sister used to bring it home along with the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:18 AM (Dc2NZ)



Go on...

Posted by: Psuper Psychiatrist at February 16, 2020 11:19 AM (z0XD8)

259 Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:18 AM (KZzsI)

They knew how destructive it was almost immediately. They just couldn't stop.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 11:20 AM (2DOZq)

260 There is only one Warthog, the A-10. And it farts 30mm shells.

Posted by: Anna Puma at February 16, 2020 11:20 AM (X2ND2)

261 But books are meant to be read and enjoyed, not impress.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:15 AM (KZzsI)


Are they?

Great literature, and yes, there is such a thing, does not HAVE to be enjoyed to be meaningful and worth reading. It's not all about entertainment.

And yes, there is such a thing as great french cinema that doesn't end up with the good guys winning, and the bad guys sploding.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:21 AM (hku12)

262 245
I have tried to read a lot of the "great novels" and most of them are,
while well written, miserable crap. Its hopeless, none of the
characters are likable, the plot usually goes nowhere, its like watching
French cinema. Great, you made something to impress your peers. But
books are meant to be read and enjoyed, not impress.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:15 AM (KZzsI)
Kind of like watching a play by Henrik Ibsen. If you don't like it and your peers do, your the one with the problem.

Posted by: Groundhog at February 16, 2020 11:21 AM (VYwSh)

263 Guess the name of one movie which I have never seen.
---

Roger the Cabin Boy

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:21 AM (Dc2NZ)

264 https://www.weaselzippers.us/
443811-bernie-gets-photo-bombed-
by-trump-boat/

Posted by: Infidel at February 16, 2020 11:21 AM (MTxDQ)

265 I'm not sure if he's considered great, but Thomas Hardy is always quite readable, IMO. There are often a few not despicable characters, but he can be depressing.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 11:21 AM (5wOoy)

266 There is only one Warthog, the A-10. And it farts 30mm shells.
Posted by: Anna Puma at February 16, 2020 11:20 AM (X2ND2)


Yes.

https://stoatnet.org/a10supremacy.jpg

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 11:21 AM (t+qrx)

267 Guess the name of one movie which I have never seen.



Go ahead,


Bet you can't do it.
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 11:12 AM (tT0V4)


The Seventh Seal?

Rare Exports, a Christmas Tale, a Christmas Horror story from Finland?

https://youtu.be/6RPZ2VNsyWs

Posted by: Kindltot at February 16, 2020 11:22 AM (6rS3m)

268 My friend became a very successful novelist just by coming up with an interesting character and building stories around him. He was a "salt of the earth" regular guy too. Never let his successes go to his head and, in fact, never even left the neighborhood he grew up in.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at February 16, 2020 11:22 AM (flINI)

269 261: I understand reading for the historical perspective, or the sad reality, but I prefer to enjoy than endure.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 11:23 AM (5wOoy)

270 Chris, what are mangerines? Do I want to peel one of these tart delicacies?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:23 AM (Dc2NZ)

271 Okay I'm back.

Just made some bacon then cooked potatoes and onions in the grease. Been a while since I did that. Won't be so long until the next time, though.

RE: German eugenics, I think people are thinking of the Lebensborn, who were indeed a weird idea.

What the liberals keep overlooking is that the idea human would not only be smart, but also attractive, socially adept and physically fit.

Khan Noonien Singh rather than Paul Krugman.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:24 AM (cfSRQ)

272 260
There is only one Warthog, the A-10. And it farts 30mm shells.

Posted by: Anna Puma at February 16, 2020 11:20 AM (X2ND2)

---
It burps them.

It farts flares and chaff.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:25 AM (cfSRQ)

273 245 I have tried to read a lot of the "great novels" and most of them are, while well written, miserable crap. Its hopeless, none of the characters are likable, the plot usually goes nowhere, its like watching French cinema. Great, you made something to impress your peers. But books are meant to be read and enjoyed, not impress.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:15 AM (KZzsI)


I think it took a long time to figure out how to write a good novel. I started to read the original Three Musketeers a while back and it amazed me how it was page after page of D'Artagnon wandering aimlessly around Paris doing one thing or another and I don't see the story being advanced at all. They needed to cut to the chase, as it were

Les Miserables was the same way. I kept thinking, c'mon, would you get to the point already?

Overall, and allowing for the exceptions, I think novels written today are generally better than the ones written centuries ago if for no other reason than we know a lot more about novel-writing and what makes it work.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:25 AM (AWstk)

274 "Roger the Cabin Boy"


Ok....two.




Two movies which I have never seen.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 11:25 AM (tT0V4)

275 Do I want to peel one of these tart delicacies?

All men hope not

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:25 AM (KZzsI)

276 My "No Time for Sergeants" phase is winding down with the stage script. Here is where the movie got much of its business: "Operation Prometheus," spitting in the radio (spelled "Tphhhh"), the bar fight, the dialogue with the psychiatrist, and "I'LL COURT-MARTIAL EVERYBODY IN THE WHOLE DAMN AIR FORCE!".

About all that came from the book was the concept and main characters, the latrine scene, and the mistaken deaths.

Overall, I find the movie to be the best of the lot; it had better lines, and more elaborate sets as well as location filming.

Still, I would have liked to have read more work by the author, Mac Hyman. Pity that he died after this, his first book, came out.

Posted by: Weak Geek at February 16, 2020 11:25 AM (u/nim)

277 weren't the Lebensborn basically just a way for high ranking Nazis to have gubmint paid brothels?

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 11:26 AM (G546f)

278 If there was evah a confluence of evidence that we MUST keep as many Lefties in the Dem Primary race, this is the weekend:

Uncle Joe Biden: No one needs an AR-15. Period.

Seth Abramson: RETWEET if you believe Trump won't concede if he loses in November.(Is Seth a *sock* for Stacey Abrams?)

Richard Dawkins: Its one thing to deplore eugenics on ideological, political, moral grounds. Its quite another to conclude that it wouldnt work in practice.

Posted by: socalcon at February 16, 2020 11:15 AM (Roy2Z)


Anyone else remember the Bill Bennett book that came out, not sure how long ago, where he talked about the effects of some 20 million abortions among African Americans (I'm not sure that number is right).

He was of course, not advocating for it, but noted that the problems in AA communities would be that much more... more, if those abortions hadn't happened.

I'm not sure I remember what point he was trying to make, but it was met with full-throated outrage.

I guess now it's okie dokie to be for genocide.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:26 AM (hku12)

279 258 All this talk of warthogs made me think of Wonder Warthog. Anybody remember that comic? My older sister used to bring it home along with the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:18 AM (Dc2NZ)
Go on...
Posted by: Psuper Psychiatrist at February 16, 2020 11:19 AM (z0XD


Gilbert Shelton FTW!

Do you remember this line?

"Well, I can always use MY SNOUT!"

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:27 AM (AWstk)

280 I took a lot of English classes in college mainly because I love to read and talk about books but also because they were gut courses for me and easy A's. I had to read a lot of classics and although really didn't like a lot of it, was glad that I had to because otherwise I never would have picked them up.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 16, 2020 11:27 AM (QzF6i)

281 I'm pretty sure this gun is evil.

https://youtu.be/oYZO7zmH2ZQ

Actually, it looks more useless than evil but still kinda cool.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 11:27 AM (+y/Ru)

282 "RE: German eugenics, I think people are thinking of the Lebensborn, who were indeed a weird idea."

Yes, as a sub set of the overall idea.

Selectively breed for desired traits.

Kill off the ones with undesirable traits.

See: M. Sanger.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 11:27 AM (tT0V4)

283 I think it took a long time to figure out how to write a good novel. I started to read the original Three Musketeers a while back and it amazed me how it was page after page of D'Artagnon wandering aimlessly around Paris doing one thing or another and I don't see the story being advanced at all. They needed to cut to the chase, as it were

Its not the modern style to do that, no. And modern readers don't really have the patience to put up with it.

Back then, things ran at a much slower pace, and people wanted to get lost in a book and walk along with it, to enjoy the events. So they liked long, slowly moving passages and what we'd call padding today.

These days, everything better serve the story or readers get bored and annoyed. Personally, being a man of my times, I prefer it that way and try to write that way.

But I did really enjoy The Three Musketeers anyway.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (KZzsI)

284 266
There is only one Warthog, the A-10. And it farts 30mm shells.

Posted by: Anna Puma at February 16, 2020 11:20 AM (X2ND2)



Yes.



https://stoatnet.org/a10supremacy.jpg

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 11:21 AM (t+qrx)
-----
Loved these things. The state ANG used them. They could fly on the deck and you'd barely hear them. Now, they fly F15s. I hate F15s. If you are the phone when they fly over, you scream "I'LL CALL YOU BACK".

Posted by: Groundhog at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (VYwSh)

285 Most of the German army was addicted to
amphetamines. The thing is, they just thought it was a wonder drug,
they didn't really understand how destructive and awful it was over
time. Take this and you can keep going! James Bond took them, for
example back when they weren't clear on the long term effects.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:18 AM (KZzsI)

---
This knowledge totally upends a lot of the historic explanations for savagery by German troops.

They were basically drugged out of their minds.

It doesn't excuse it, but it does explain it.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (cfSRQ)

286 Guess the name of one movie which I have never seen.
---

Roger the Cabin Boy
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:21 AM (Dc2NZ)


I was gonna say something like Hot Firefighters II, but it was too easy. He left himself open for it.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (hku12)

287 On the batphone anon hot line this morning: Jack of Hearts here. ICYMI there is a pandemic wasteland of pantaloons out there at malls and wal marts across america. AoS stands accused and shamed into fostering an anti american legging movement which undercuts the fundamental transformation of america into a third world pantless dystopia. There, I said it and I'm NOT standing by it. I see moar and moar of this fascist fashionista faux paw at my Wal Mart. How did this happen? Who is to blame? How can I get my money back? Who am I talking to?

Posted by: Ray Mota at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (AVxHd)

288 > and treated his wife as a servant on whom he constantly heaped abuse.

While banging (and impregnating) the actual servant, let us not forget.

The kid was adopted out, but the housekeeper remained employed by the Marx family the rest of his life, and was actually buried in the Marx family grave. At the request of Marx's wife. So maybe they were a throuple or something.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (Ewo9R)

289 "Anyone who operates in the world knows this. It's an amazing
phenomenon, how we see and hear "news" stories about the ways women are
changing, and then hear the intellectuals tell us how gender is a social
construct.



Then we go out into the real world, and women are gushing over Valentine flowers and candy."
Feminism is probably the greatest collective mass shit-test of all time - to see if men collectively would either take this baloney seriously, or stand firm. I have liberal female friends, a couple who I've dated, that publicly support every alphabet-soup/gay/gender/climate/female empowerment liberal cause you can name - but privately read 50 Shades of Grey, approved of "The Game"-style dating, liked to be treated rough in the sack, want to get married, and want babies.
I think the majority have not passed the test.

Posted by: myn at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (6ESMG)

290 I'm still reading Whoever Fights Monsters. I like true crime and the book is very interesting. It gives insight into the early years of FBI profiling.

The Whisper Man that Zoltan recommended above sounds good; I just downloaded a sample to my Kindle. I like suspense & mystery novels.

Posted by: Jordan61 at February 16, 2020 11:29 AM (QLlrr)

291 I'm pretty sure this gun is evil.

Reminds me of Steve McQueen's "mare's leg" in Wanted: Dead Or Alive.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:30 AM (KZzsI)

292 Nabokov preLolita is full of clunkers. King,Queen, Knave, Invitation to a Beheading and Pnin are worth reading.
Posted by: Jamaica NYC at February 16, 2020 10:23 AM (4vNgL)


Some of the early short stories were more "you can see the potential" than actually enjoyable but everything else of his Russian and European years was top rate imo. The Gift took far longer to complete than his earlier works (I think Invitation to a Beheading was done while The Gift was a work in progress) and I think the inability to get everything to cohere was part of the stumbling block. It still wasn't bad and had some wonderfully written parts; just not as good.

Northanger Abbey is reading just as well as some of the positive commenters here suggested. For whatever reason, probably because I had a lot of things going on, I didn't make as much progress in California as I expected but now there's no excuse not to kick back and enjoy it.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2020 11:31 AM (y7DUB)

293 Les Miserables was the same way. I kept thinking, c'mon, would you get to the point already?

Overall,
and allowing for the exceptions, I think novels written today are
generally better than the ones written centuries ago if for no other
reason than we know a lot more about novel-writing and what makes it
worth.


Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:25 AM (AWstk)

---
People back then were looking for different things.

We want instant action! Get the point, or I shall pull out my phone.

Back then, reading was more contemplative.

Old movies had slower pacing as well, because audiences wanted the story to unfold, to get a sense of the routine, the time and place.

Now? Not so much.

Also, everything today is a remake or includes myriad pop-culture references, so there's no need to set the scene.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:31 AM (cfSRQ)

294 I have a question for the horde: I use feminine pronouns rather than masculine for indefinite pronouns in my writing. I don't do this for the social justice reasons, I do it for rhetorical reasons. I've noticed that when I read something that uses the feminine, it's still different enough that it grabs my attention, it makes me focus more on what I'm reading. I'm sure it doesn't have this effect on everybody, but it has that effect on me. That's why I do it, so the reader doesn't get too complacent in reading. I've had some people get irritated though because they can't separate it from the social justice motive. So would you guys be willing and able to read something like that or would it set you off enough so that you'd just put the book down? Or just read it with a suspicious eye?

Posted by: Jim S. at February 16, 2020 11:32 AM (ynUnH)

295 Just made some bacon then cooked potatoes and onions in the grease. Been a while since I did that. Won't be so long until the next time, though.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:24 AM (cfSRQ)

Ohhhh my dad used to do that, every time I came home for a visit. I never tried it myself, I'll have to give it a whirl.

Posted by: Jordan61 at February 16, 2020 11:32 AM (QLlrr)

296 Great literature, and yes, there is such a thing, does not HAVE to be enjoyed to be meaningful and worth reading. It's not all about entertainment.

I understand what you're saying but its still entertaining to the reader, just not "whee!!!" entertainment. It appeals to the reader, or they stop reading.

But the point of books is to be read, not to impress or demonstrate your wokeness, elite nature, or agreement with a nihilistic, meaningless worldview. If that's all you have accomplished, your book sucks.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:32 AM (KZzsI)

297 Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:26 AM (hku12

No it was on his radio show when someone raised the issue that Social Security won't be sustained because we are aborting taxpayers. Bennett responded that you should not use moral issues to support economic arguments. He went further and said someone could use the argument that aborting every black baby to support reducing crime statistics.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 11:33 AM (2DOZq)

298 Loved these things. The state ANG used them. They
could fly on the deck and you'd barely hear them. Now, they fly F15s. I
hate F15s. If you are the phone when they fly over, you scream "I'LL
CALL YOU BACK".


Posted by: Groundhog at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (VYwSh)

---
My old base used to fly F-16s. Not quiet.

Then I got exposed to F-15s. Wow.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:34 AM (cfSRQ)

299 Posted by: Jim S. at February 16, 2020 11:32 AM (ynUnH)

sounds annoying
would not read

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 11:34 AM (G546f)

300 294: I think it sounds social justicey, but I could cope

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 11:34 AM (5wOoy)

301 This knowledge totally upends a lot of the historic explanations for savagery by German troops.

They were basically drugged out of their minds.

It doesn't excuse it, but it does explain it.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (cfSRQ)
---
This is where I again pimp "Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich" by Norman Ohler.

During that mad dash through Belgium and into France, everybody from Guderian on down was hopped up on Pervitan. The compulsion to keep on moving and go go go!! is one of the effects of this wonderdrug.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:34 AM (Dc2NZ)

302 > My older sister used to bring it home along with the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.

Phutney-Creech Land Yacht FTW.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 16, 2020 11:35 AM (Ewo9R)

303 Overall, and allowing for the exceptions, I think novels written today are generally better than the ones written centuries ago if for no other reason than we know a lot more about novel-writing and what makes it worth.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:25 AM (AWstk)


Someone could, and probably has, written a good history of the novel.

Obviously, the form had a different effect on humanity, when humanity was living in a different era.

So the question might be: What purpose does it serve?

There are countless readers of those books you mention, who would have had no other way to know what Paris was like, if a talented writer hadn't written about it.

So it mattered.

Now you can fire up your computer, go to Google Streetview, and "see" any place in the world, as long as the Google car has been there.

I also think it might NOT be a bad idea for some works of literature to be "translated," if they were written more than, say 150 years ago. Maybe even more recently.

If one doesn't have the patience for such works, I think it says more about us as readers, than it does about the writers.

I would argue, the place for Great Novels in a culture has fairly well passed. If there are great novels being written today, I have no idea what they are, or how to find them.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:35 AM (hku12)

304 Feminism is probably the greatest collective mass shit-test of all time - to see if men collectively would either take this baloney seriously, or stand firm. I have liberal female friends, a couple who I've dated, that publicly support every alphabet-soup/gay/gender/climate/female empowerment liberal cause you can name - but privately read 50 Shades of Grey, approved of "The Game"-style dating, liked to be treated rough in the sack, want to get married, and want babies.
I think the majority have not passed the test.


You know which prominent feminist failed this test?

Gloria Steinem.

Railed against the institution of marriage for literally *decades.* How it was a tool of the corrupt patriarchy that enslaved women, etc. And then, in the year 2000, she married Christian Bale's father.

Oops.

I wonder about those women who bought Steinem's BS and threw away all of their opportunities to marry, what they thought when the woman whose advice they took suddenly and publicly repudiated everything she had ever written? And now they're old and lonely, but Gloria has a husband. I wonder how they feel about that?

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:36 AM (AWstk)

305 Wonder Wart-Hog, Freak Bros? You old or what? Man, they still had rotary phones in those days.

I have a comic book longbox stuffed with "underground" comics from the '60s through the '80s. Somewhere in the catacombs. Quite a wide range from the sleazy to some really remarkable work.

The undergrounds directly or indirectly led to the 1980s independent comic book movement, and I've got some longboxes of that great era as well.

I think after that Marvel+DC destroyed all competition with a snap of Galactus's finger, but I don't know- I lost track of comics.

Why the 1980s? Like a lot of things in life, the explanation is "then we had kids." Heh.

Teaser for the Freak Bros movie that, seems like, will never be made:
https://youtu.be/YINWUjFQRDU

Posted by: mindful webworker
Hulk smash! Ba-THROOM!!
at February 16, 2020 11:36 AM (7OF+y)

306 I would argue, the place for Great Novels in a
culture has fairly well passed. If there are great novels being written
today, I have no idea what they are, or how to find them.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:35 AM (hku12)

---Ahem.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:37 AM (cfSRQ)

307 I have a question for the horde: I use feminine pronouns rather than masculine for indefinite pronouns in my writing. I don't do this for the social justice reasons, I do it for rhetorical reasons. I've noticed that when I read something that uses the feminine, it's still different enough that it grabs my attention, it makes me focus more on what I'm reading.

I think that's mostly because its different. For many centuries, it was standard English grammar to use "he" as generic neutral pronoun; this referred to humanity in general. Then in the 70s certain women decided this was demeaning and sexist, and we went off to the races, since the English language does not really have gender construction in its grammar, so we don't have a viable alternative.

So you get "he" 90% of the time and that's what we're used to, and "she" looks distinct and unusual which grabs attention. But its not necessarily positive attention. The 4th edition D&D books decided to use "she" in all neutral examples which was jarring and somewhat annoying. It felt contrived and even PC, which wasn't very welcome in the gaming community.

That said, I recently rewrote a Wild West game for Hero System 6th edition and I changed all the "he" references to "them, they" etc. Instead of "if he draws his pistol" it now says "if the character--" or "if they draw their pistol".

Why? Because modern young women find that using male pronouns exclusively distances them from the content and men are less concerned about pronouns when they are reading books. Unless it says "she" all over, then they figure its for girls.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:37 AM (KZzsI)

308 I was gonna say something like Hot Firefighters II, but it was too easy. He left himself open for it.
Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (hku12)
--
I like the implication that he loved Hot Firefighters, but doesn't approve of make-a-buck quickie sequels. For artistic reasons.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:38 AM (Dc2NZ)

309 Good morning Horde.
Finally a sunny morning here in the People's Democratic Socialist Republik of Seattle.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 16, 2020 11:38 AM (axyOa)

310 Loved these things. The state ANG used them. They could fly on the deck and you'd barely hear them. Now, they fly F15s. I hate F15s. If you are the phone when they fly over, you scream "I'LL CALL YOU BACK".
Posted by: Groundhog at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (VYwSh)


They do (or used to do) A-10 flyovers of Spartan Stadium from Selfridge. The path to overfly the stadium comes from the north-ish, over the Red Cedar, and directly over the library where I used to work. I'd be outside once in a while and hear planes indistinctly, then they'd whip over the roof of the library and roar off to the south.

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 11:38 AM (t+qrx)

311 This knowledge totally upends a lot of the historic explanations for savagery by German troops....


Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (cfSRQ)

It does not. Not the only fighting force on drugs. Somehow Nazi Germany managed to create hell on earth from 1933 to 1945.

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 11:38 AM (zr5Kq)

312 > Old movies had slower pacing as well, because audiences wanted the story to unfold, to get a sense of the routine, the time and place.

A big part of it is that modern Hollywood makes films for an international audience. Subtle verbal repartee doesn't translate nearly as well as punching a guy in the face or machine-gunning the hell out of him.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 16, 2020 11:39 AM (Ewo9R)

313 Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:26 AM (hku12

No it was on his radio show when someone raised the issue that Social Security won't be sustained because we are aborting taxpayers. Bennett responded that you should not use moral issues to support economic arguments. He went further and said someone could use the argument that aborting every black baby to support reducing crime statistics.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 16, 2020 11:33 AM (2DOZq)


Oh yeah.

Wasn't he hawking a book though? With a longer explanation?

If I recall correctly, he was always pushing some book he had written.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:39 AM (hku12)

314 And now they're old and lonely, but Gloria has a husband. I wonder how they feel about that?


Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:36 AM (AWstk)

---
Probably the same way the kids do who follow some 20-something "relationship expert" and later find out she's a hot mess with 40 exes and a dozen cats.

Or the guy who 'kissed dating goodbye,' built a following, became a pastor but then threw it all away when his wife left him.

Careful who you pick as a guru.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:40 AM (cfSRQ)

315 Then we go out into the real world, and women are gushing over Valentine flowers and candy.

Or the "Access Hollywood" tape, where Trump said, in a vulgar fashion, that many women are attracted to rich, successful men.

And we all know that's not true.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 16, 2020 11:40 AM (I2/tG)

316 294: Also depends on the subject.Using she when you're writing about construction workers, the NFL, or astronauts seems weird and affected, but ok with homebuyers, doctors, and phlebotomists.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 11:40 AM (5wOoy)

317 309 Good morning Horde.
Finally a sunny morning here in the People's Democratic Socialist Republik of Seattle.
Posted by: Diogenes at February 16, 2020 11:38 AM (axyOa)

Lucky you! It's cloudy and crummy over here in Spokane.

Posted by: Jordan61 at February 16, 2020 11:40 AM (QLlrr)

318 Mindful, I have often thought that killing Squaresville culture and then becoming Irony culture is what took the wind out of the sails of greats like MAD Magazine.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:40 AM (Dc2NZ)

319 I also think it might NOT be a bad idea for some works of literature to be "translated," if they were written more than, say 150 years ago. Maybe even more recently.

I have actually considered doing just that, take an older book that is difficult to read today (like Ivanhoe) and rewriting it in a modern paraphrase. Not a Reader's Digest version but just written as if a modern person had done so.

But then I realize the level of preposterous ego it would involved to re-write classics by far better authors.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:41 AM (KZzsI)

320 All this talk of warthogs made me think of Wonder Warthog. Anybody remember that comic? My older sister used to bring it home along with the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.

Every four years I dig out and re-read "Wonder Wart Hog and the Nurds of November".

Posted by: Blanco Basura -It's OK, I'm with the banned at February 16, 2020 11:41 AM (6+cih)

321 294Could you give an example?

Posted by: sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 16, 2020 11:41 AM (QzF6i)

322 Reading a bunch of works by Historian John Mosier.

He has a quite different view on WW1 which he elucidates in: The Myths of World War One.

He believes Hitler was almoat always right and his generals nearly always wrong and that Stalin almost ran out of soldiers: Deathride, Hitler v. Stalin, the Eastern Front 1941 - 1945.

He explains how the German Army learned valuable lessons in WW1 that it used to great effect in WW2: Cross of Iron, The German Army, 1918 - 1945, and also that the Wehrmacht didn't fight as clean a war as they claimed they did (I.e., it wasn't just the SS and Einsatzgruppen commuting war crimes).

And he gives a good explanation as to how the LEAST mechanized of the major combatants in WW2, Germany, wasn't really doing anything new or particularly clever in winning almost every battle from 1939 to 1943: The Myth of The Blitzkrieg.

I can't recommend him highly enough. I have a completely different view of WW1 and WW2 after diving into these books.

Posted by: Sharkman at February 16, 2020 11:42 AM (0o2qn)

323 Okay, back to The Expanse while my pants are in the laundry (sorry OregonMuse!).

I'm enjoying the series. Do you cats recommend the books?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:42 AM (Dc2NZ)

324 If there are great novels being written today, I have no idea what they are, or how to find them.
Posted by: BurtTC

they are probably being written in webtoon form
heaven help us

Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 11:43 AM (G546f)

325 Finally a sunny morning here in the People's Democratic Socialist Republik of Seattle.

-
I understand that you just passed a law that landlords can't evict people in winter because brrrrr. I'm sure that'll help your housing situation.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 11:43 AM (+y/Ru)

326 They do (or used to do) A-10 flyovers of Spartan
Stadium from Selfridge. The path to overfly the stadium comes from the
north-ish, over the Red Cedar, and directly over the library where I
used to work. I'd be outside once in a while and hear planes
indistinctly, then they'd whip over the roof of the library and roar off
to the south.

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 11:38 AM (t+qrx)

---
Those planes came from Battle Creek. Much heartache over losing them.

The silence when they left was eerie.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:43 AM (cfSRQ)

327 " Subtle verbal repartee doesn't translate nearly as well as punching a guy in the face or machine-gunning the hell out of him. "

Dialog was the one thing that made the movie The Highwaymen with Costner such a delight to watch.

Same with books.

It is harder to write good conversation than it is to blow shit up with the written word.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 11:43 AM (tT0V4)

328 If you're looking for rarish 007 books, I recommend the two from Kingsley Amis: The James Bond Dossier, and the first Bond novel not written by Fleming, Colonel Sun. They were both OOP years ago, but who knows now.

Posted by: Rusty Nail at February 16, 2020 11:44 AM (I99aF)

329 294 "So would you guys be willing and able to read something like that or
would it set you off enough so that you'd just put the book down? Or
just read it with a suspicious eye?"
For me it's an minor annoyance so the book/paper/whatever has to be slightly better than an average book to make up for it. If I don't know the author I'll be suspicious.

I remember how Dawkins (IIRC) wrote a book - probably 10-20 years old by now - in which he used the male pronouns to refer to an unspecified-sex criminal. He was sensitive enough to the pronouns thing that he wrote he hoped people would appreciate that he did not extend the usage of generic female pronouns to criminals.
Equal, but not too equal.

Posted by: myn at February 16, 2020 11:45 AM (6ESMG)

330 Great literature, and yes, there is such a thing, does not HAVE to be enjoyed to be meaningful and worth reading. It's not all about entertainment.
----------------------------
I understand what you're saying but its still entertaining to the reader, just not "whee!!!" entertainment. It appeals to the reader, or they stop reading.

But the point of books is to be read, not to impress or demonstrate your wokeness, elite nature, or agreement with a nihilistic, meaningless worldview. If that's all you have accomplished, your book sucks.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:32 AM (KZzsI)


One of my favorite novels of all time, is "Washington Square." A book about which one might say, nothing happens. Or almost nothing.

If one wants to argue the meaning of the word "entertainment," then maybe somewhere in a much more expansive meaning of the word, a meaning more than I would practically use, I was entertained.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:45 AM (hku12)

331 He believes Hitler was almoat always right and his generals nearly always wrong


===


This alone should have forced you to question this writer's sanity.

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 11:45 AM (zr5Kq)

332 Dialog was the one thing that made the movie The Highwaymen with Costner such a delight to watch.

Netflix films in general are kind of a throwback to more dialog and slower storytelling. Sometimes it works (the Highwayman), sometimes its tedious (The Punisher). Ideally you do this for style and to help move the story, rather than to pad out the length. Netflix' Marvel stuff was bad about having like 6 hours of story and 12 hours of time slot to fill.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:45 AM (KZzsI)

333 weren't the Lebensborn basically just a way for high ranking Nazis to have gubmint paid brothels?
Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 11:26 AM (G546f)

Yup......Reinhard Heydrich was a well known prevert and sex addict.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at February 16, 2020 11:46 AM (Z+IKu)

334 284 Now, they fly F15s. I hate F15s. If you are the
phone when they fly over, you scream "I'LL CALL YOU BACK".


yeah, well, i'm pretty certain the f/a-18 pilots here compete over how many car alarms they can set off in the parking lot.

the sound of freedom.

Posted by: Anachronda at February 16, 2020 11:46 AM (kf5Ci)

335 "They were both OOP years ago, but who knows now."

ABE Books has over 230 copies of Colonel Sun.

Starting at less than $2.00

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 16, 2020 11:46 AM (tT0V4)

336 Yup......Reinhard Heydrich was a well known prevert and sex addict.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at February 16, 2020 11:46 AM (Z+IKu)

Amphetamines, dude. Otherwise he would have been ok....

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 11:46 AM (zr5Kq)

337 I understand that you just passed a law that landlords can't evict people in winter because brrrrr. I'm sure that'll help your housing situation.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 11:


***

Yeah, I guess they did.
Socialism is alive and well in the Emerald City.
Personally I think that is grossly unconstitutional but hey, they don't care.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 16, 2020 11:47 AM (mBL57)

338 It does not. Not the only fighting force on drugs. Somehow Nazi Germany managed to create hell on earth from 1933 to 1945.

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 11:38 AM (zr5Kq)

---
Nazi Germany isn't the topic.

The Wehrmacht is.

We know that meth heads do crazy and brutal stuff. Thus, once one realized that much of the Wehrmacht was jacked up on speed, the brutality at the front makes more sense.

It doesn't excuse or absolve it, but it does explain how otherwise normal people turned into maniacs.

I would argue that the concentration camps - deliberately, carefully planned and meticulously executed - are far more disturbing.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:47 AM (cfSRQ)

339 Test

Posted by: Mel Gibson at February 16, 2020 11:47 AM (QZCjk)

340 The Los Angeles Times once reported that Trump once listed his favorite 20 books on China off the top of his head.

Such an excellent find, OM. And an impressive ability by Mr. Trump. I'd be hard pressed to reel off my top 20 books, period, without some time for reflection.

Yeah boy, wut.a.dummy. I also noticed this particular author on his list:

"The Beijing Consensus" by Stefan Halper

Now where have I heard this name before?

Wheels within wheels, man.

Posted by: GnuBreed at February 16, 2020 11:47 AM (Jdw1U)

341 I understand that you just passed a law that landlords can't evict people in winter because brrrrr. I'm sure that'll help your housing situation.

The next shocking discovery will be learning that landlords aren't interested in renting places out in the fall, but will wait until spring to rent them, and will let them sit empty all winter. And that landlords will look very carefully at any potentially evictable behavior by marginal tenants in the fall, and drop the hammer then.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 16, 2020 11:48 AM (I2/tG)

342 Amphetamines, dude. Otherwise he would have been ok....

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 11:46 AM (zr5Kq)

---
Straw man status: FLAWLESS VICTORY.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:48 AM (cfSRQ)

343 We know that meth heads do crazy and brutal stuff. Thus, once one realized that much of the Wehrmacht was jacked up on speed, the brutality at the front makes more sense.

Yeah but the British and American military used it on their pilots, too. Not easy to stay awake for that run from London to Berlin and back.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:48 AM (KZzsI)

344 M. A. Foster had a book called The Warriors of Dawn, which is set as a sort of pastiche of Piper's Star Vikings, but the sword world baddies were actually the Klesh, a genetically engineered Human sub-species that has an uneasy relationship with basic stock humans.

A giant spherical spaceship has raided a series of human planets and the survivors identify the raiders as Klesh, which the Klesh deny knowing about. A Human and a Klesh investigator are sent to review and gather information to see what can be done, and they are kidnapped by agents of the raiders and carried to the raiders' home world, called Dawn, a marginally habitable planet where a Klesh colony ship from a splinter group of the initial Klesh diaspora from Earth had landed a millenia or two prior, and had spent its time breeding its Human prisoners into various breeds, while the Klesh themselves devolved from the carefully bred genotype by failing to maintain careful outbreeding required for a small, homogeneous genetic pool.
The story revolves learning what is driving the Warriors of Dawn, and escaping from the planet to warn the Human and Klesh systems.

It is very interesting, has a good use of the Piper type technology, but the plot is a bit glum as is typical of the 80's sci-fi.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 16, 2020 11:49 AM (6rS3m)

345 I understand that you just passed a law that landlords can't evict people in winter because brrrrr.

Chicago has a more reasonable rule - you can't evict people on days where the temperature is below a certain level, so you don't have any sub-zero evictions. The sheriff gets real busy on nice days in wintertime.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 16, 2020 11:50 AM (I2/tG)

346 Straw man status: FLAWLESS VICTORY.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:48 AM (cfSRQ)

Why a strawman ? You just explained nazi brutality as a side effect of drugs.

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 11:51 AM (zr5Kq)

347 There was a run in the 80s-90s when every author seemed to think that raw, nearly pornographic sex was needed in every novel. Its hard to read some of the stuff from that time period because of it. And sometimes you'd get an author who, say wrote mysteries that were pretty clean and well done, then you try a romance from them and its Penthouse Forums time.

That trend seems to have faded, probably because the internet floods you with porn so much so that you have to fight to avoid it.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:51 AM (KZzsI)

348 I was gonna say something like Hot Firefighters II, but it was too easy. He left himself open for it.
Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (hku12)
--
I like the implication that he loved Hot Firefighters, but doesn't approve of make-a-buck quickie sequels. For artistic reasons.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:38 AM (Dc2NZ)


I mean, it's basically the same movie, with different actors. They couldn't get the actors from the first film to reprise their roles... how good COULD it be??

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:51 AM (hku12)

349 Those planes came from Battle Creek. Much heartache over losing them.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:43 AM (cfSRQ)


I have a disease where I assume that everything that's about an hour or two from Lansing must be right next to everything else that's about an hour or two from Lansing.

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 11:51 AM (t+qrx)

350 Yeah but the British and American military used it
on their pilots, too. Not easy to stay awake for that run from London
to Berlin and back.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:48 AM (KZzsI)

---
True, but the opportunity for rapine and pillage were considerably less than it was for the panzertruppen.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:51 AM (cfSRQ)

351 Why a strawman ? You just explained nazi brutality as a side effect of drugs.

I think he's just suggesting its a contributing factor to the behavior of some of the troops, not excusing everything. Which is probably true to some degree at least.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:52 AM (KZzsI)

352 I have a disease where I assume that everything
that's about an hour or two from Lansing must be right next to
everything else that's about an hour or two from Lansing.

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 11:51 AM (t+qrx)

---
No, you are correct, they are now based at Selfridge.

But they used to be based at Battle Creek.

After they left, it was very depressing.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:53 AM (cfSRQ)

353 I have a disease where I assume that everything
that's about an hour or two from Lansing must be right next to
everything else that's about an hour or two from Lansing.

Posted by: hogmartin
#twohours

Posted by: 2009Refugee at February 16, 2020 11:54 AM (8AONa)

354 348 I was gonna say something like Hot Firefighters II, but it was too easy. He left himself open for it.
Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (hku12)
--
I like the implication that he loved Hot Firefighters, but doesn't approve of make-a-buck quickie sequels. For artistic reasons.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:38 AM (Dc2NZ)


I mean, it's basically the same movie, with different actors. They couldn't get the actors from the first film to reprise their roles... how good COULD it be??
Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:51 AM (hku12)

I hear NetFlix is doing a hard reboot based on the original source material, the gritty Nozzle 69.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:54 AM (Dc2NZ)

355 At the risk of sounding disrespectful toward the greatest generation and our troops, I suspect that in the heat of war both sides engaged in some pretty godawful crap they'd rather not talk about or remember in the line of battle. Stuff that historians DO mention about the German troops.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:55 AM (KZzsI)

356 I can't recommend him highly enough. I have a completely different view of WW1 and WW2 after diving into these books.

-
I've read Deathride and quite enjoyed it. Speaking of WWII, incidentally, I'm reading The Fire and the Darkness: The Bombing of Dresden, 1945 by Sinclair McKay. (Although the blurbs on the cover and the promotional description make it sound very Allies bad war criminals, the book itself is pretty balanced.) One of the horrifying details was that in February 1945 (days before the 2/14/45 bombing) the Gauleiter had a woman Guillotined because she expressed the opinion in private that she doubted that victory could still be achieved. I guess she had the last laugh when ten or twelve weeks later Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 11:55 AM (+y/Ru)

357 Anyone read Going After Cacciatore?

Posted by: Mel Gibson at February 16, 2020 11:55 AM (QZCjk)

358 So audible for Black history month tweeted out an article about how Joseph Conrad's heart of darkness is racist?

I mean come on why not tweet something out about, hey check out this black or writer

But no we have to virtue signal and shit on a good writer.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at February 16, 2020 11:55 AM (dKiJG)

359 If there are great novels being written today, I have no idea what they are, or how to find them.
Posted by: BurtTC

they are probably being written in webtoon form
heaven help us
Posted by: vmom 2020 at February 16, 2020 11:43 AM (G546f)


It's not unlike the music industry. Is there good stuff being made today? Sure there is, it's just drowned out by the noise of what's popular.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:55 AM (hku12)

360 Cacciato. Fuck spell checker.

Posted by: Mel Gibson at February 16, 2020 11:56 AM (QZCjk)

361 So . . Battle Creek no longer has any military? A quick Google Earth check showed some transport planes at Selfridge, so they have transports and an A-10 Squadron?

Posted by: 2009Refugee at February 16, 2020 11:56 AM (8AONa)

362 I think he's just suggesting its a contributing
factor to the behavior of some of the troops, not excusing everything.
Which is probably true to some degree at least.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:52 AM (KZzsI)

---
Yeah, given that I've said it doesn't exscuse multiple times already, and I've noted the deliberate, calculated evil of the concentration camp system, I'm not sure how much clearer I can be.

If you take combat troops and jack them up on meth for weeks at a time, they are going to cut people up. I don't think that's even debatable.

It says a lot about the ethics of the leaders than it does about troops force-fed mind-altering drugs.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:57 AM (cfSRQ)

363 I was more intrigued by Going After Cacciatore.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:57 AM (Dc2NZ)

364 Or the guy who 'kissed dating goodbye,' built a following, became a pastor but then threw it all away when his wife left him.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 11:40 AM (cfSRQ)


I think he was on a downward arc before his wife up and left him. Fame and adulation can mess with your head, particularly if you're only 21 years old.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:57 AM (AWstk)

365 Its a bit of a cliche, but I think it is at least somewhat true that good art comes from pain and difficulty, and in the modern west, having bad wifi is the worst thing people experience.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:58 AM (KZzsI)

366 363 I am on an IPhone. It is painful.

Posted by: Mel Gibson at February 16, 2020 11:58 AM (QZCjk)

367 BurtTC: If there are great novels being written today, I have no idea what they are, or how to find them.

vmom: they are probably being written in webtoon form
heaven help us


* frowns *

Posted by: mindful webworker
okay webtoons series
at February 16, 2020 11:58 AM (7OF+y)

368 Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:28 AM (hku12)
--
I like the implication that he loved Hot Firefighters, but doesn't approve of make-a-buck quickie sequels. For artistic reasons.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:38 AM (Dc2NZ)


I mean, it's basically the same movie, with different actors. They couldn't get the actors from the first film to reprise their roles... how good COULD it be??
Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:51 AM (hku12)

I hear NetFlix is doing a hard reboot based on the original source material, the gritty Nozzle 69.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 11:54 AM (Dc2NZ)


Alas though, they're going to diverse it up. One of the firefighters is straight. Played by Matt Bomer.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 11:58 AM (hku12)

369 So . . Battle Creek no longer has any military? A quick Google Earth check showed some transport planes at Selfridge, so they have transports and an A-10 Squadron?
Posted by: 2009Refugee at February 16, 2020 11:56 AM (8AONa)


The regional VA hospital is at Battle Creek, so based on what I see in the parking lot, there's still at least a full CanAm trike wing stationed there.

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 11:59 AM (t+qrx)

370 The last time I saw pants like those, they were on an Oompa-Loompa.
Posted by: JTB at February 16, 2020 09:12 AM (7EjX1)

Golfers used to wear "plus fours". These appear to be "minus fives".

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 16, 2020 12:00 PM (LxWV7)

371 361
So . . Battle Creek no longer has any military? A quick Google Earth
check showed some transport planes at Selfridge, so they have transports
and an A-10 Squadron?


Posted by: 2009Refugee at February 16, 2020 11:56 AM (8AONa)

---
Selfridge flies A-10Cs and KC-135s (tankers).

Battle Creek has no aircraft, but there is an Air National Guard base still there. It just doesn't have a flying mission.

Also Fort Custer is in Battle Creek. Army Guard post.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:00 PM (cfSRQ)

372 Erklarungsnot was the last final and deciding word word in my third grade spelling bee. I nailed it.

Posted by: Boo radley at February 16, 2020 12:00 PM (VlZwl)

373 trike wing?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 12:01 PM (Dc2NZ)

374 Eastern front savagery was cold-blooded, systematic, and ideologically inspired/shaped from the get-go, from treatment of combatants to everything else.

Drugs may explain some particular incidents or excesses, but do not, and are not needed, to "explain" the coordination of the Wehrmacht and the Einsatzgruppen, the "hunger plan", the relief of particular officers in the east due to their discomfort with the situation (which started in Poland at a high level) - which AFAIK never happened in any other theater.

The "commissar order" is an excellent example. No drug there aside from Hitler's ideological zeal to annihilate Bolsheviks (the one impulse most shared by even his Prussian military elite).

More of a late-war issue, but as the youngest cohorts to get drafted in time to fight (not Volksturm kids, draft-age males) entered the forces, even the veterans noted a marked degree of fanaticism and barbarous tendencies - these young men had only ever known Nazi Germany, no trace of any of the previous more normal Germany in their environment and upbringing.

Posted by: rhomboid at February 16, 2020 12:01 PM (El6T/)

375
Not that this will surprise anyone, but -


Amazon has collections of the FFF Bros and Wonder Warthog on paper as well as for the kindle.

Indulge, should you desire to do so.

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2020 12:01 PM (z0XD8)

376 I think he was on a downward arc before his wife up
and left him. Fame and adulation can mess with your head, particularly
if you're only 21 years old.


Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:57 AM (AWstk)

---
I've heard it helps for you to go to seminary *before* setting yourself up as a religious authority, but I'm also biased.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:02 PM (cfSRQ)

377
I get home from church and shopping too late to contribute to The Book Thread, but I need to do a review sometime of The Good Shepherd by C.S. Forester.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at February 16, 2020 12:02 PM (7rVsF)

378 German has some ridiculous words, but the spelling is almost always really easy because the rules are very consistent and every letter is almost always pronounced exactly the same. In fact most languages that's true in, its just English where its insane and unpredictable.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 12:02 PM (KZzsI)

379 358
So audible for Black history month tweeted out an article about how Joseph Conrad's heart of darkness is racist?



I mean come on why not tweet something out about, hey check out this black or writer



But no we have to virtue signal and shit on a good writer.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at February 16, 2020 11:55 AM (dKiJG)

---
Because destroying is easier than creating.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:03 PM (cfSRQ)

380 The German word ERKLÄRUNGSNOT refers to a moment in which you have been
caught in a situation requiring an urgent explanation, but cannot find
the words to account for your actions. It literally means 'explanation
poverty'.




The response in a situation like that is: homina homina homina

Posted by: TheQuietMan at February 16, 2020 12:03 PM (E1kvC)

381 I think he's just suggesting its a contributing factor to the behavior of some of the troops, not excusing everything. Which is probably true to some degree at least.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:52 AM (KZzsI)

Let's see what he said :



"This knowledge totally upends a lot of the historic explanations for savagery by German troops.

They were basically drugged out of their minds.

It doesn't excuse it, but it does explain it."


I think "totally upends" is different than "contributing factor" and "to some degree". Brits had contributing factor, American possibly same factor.

Nazi ideology, generation raised on superiority and dehumanization of non-arians allowed then to deal savagely with anyone they encountered. Amphetamines or whatever else they were fed, did not turn them into animals.

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 12:04 PM (zr5Kq)

382 They were already there by the time they had to actually fight. Starting somewhere around 1939.

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 12:05 PM (zr5Kq)

383 I liked The Good Shepherd but it wasn't as good as, say, The African Queen to me at least.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 12:07 PM (KZzsI)

384 Black History Month is an oxymoron. We should have a Thank Herodotus and Thucydides Month.

Posted by: Mel Gibson at February 16, 2020 12:08 PM (QZCjk)

385 More of a late-war issue, but as the youngest cohorts to get drafted in time to fight (not Volksturm kids, draft-age males) entered the forces, even the veterans noted a marked degree of fanaticism and barbarous tendencies - these young men had only ever known Nazi Germany, no trace of any of the previous more normal Germany in their environment and upbringing.

Posted by: rhomboid at February 16, 2020 12:01 PM (El6T/)


Yes. Thanks. Correct.

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 12:08 PM (zr5Kq)

386 trike wing?
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 12:01 PM (Dc2NZ)


Every time I've been there, at least 30% of the spaces are taken by three-wheeled bikes. I can't account for it.

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 12:08 PM (t+qrx)

387
The "commissar order" is an excellent example.
No drug there aside from Hitler's ideological zeal to annihilate
Bolsheviks (the one impulse most shared by even his Prussian military
elite).




Posted by: rhomboid at February 16, 2020 12:01 PM (El6T/)

---
The willingness of troops raised in a culturally sophisticated and Christian culture to commit atrocities has always been the issue, not the moral character of the orders.

Once one understands how pervasive meth use was in the German Army, we have a better grasp on the truth.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:08 PM (cfSRQ)

388 Eastern front savagery was cold-blooded, systematic, and ideologically inspired/shaped from the get-go, from treatment of combatants to everything else.

Drugs may explain some particular incidents or excesses, but do not, and are not needed, to "explain" the coordination of the Wehrmacht and the Einsatzgruppen, the "hunger plan", the relief of particular officers in the east due to their discomfort with the situation (which started in Poland at a high level) - which AFAIK never happened in any other theater.

The "commissar order" is an excellent example. No drug there aside from Hitler's ideological zeal to annihilate Bolsheviks (the one impulse most shared by even his Prussian military elite).

More of a late-war issue, but as the youngest cohorts to get drafted in time to fight (not Volksturm kids, draft-age males) entered the forces, even the veterans noted a marked degree of fanaticism and barbarous tendencies - these young men had only ever known Nazi Germany, no trace of any of the previous more normal Germany in their environment and upbringing.

Posted by: rhomboid at February 16, 2020 12:01 PM (El6T/)


There are well documented incidents of atrocities perpetrated by the German Army during the First World War. Not as many, not anywhere near the scale, but of the same order as what they did in the sequel.

Not sure drugs had anything to do with that.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 12:10 PM (hku12)

389 these young men had only ever known Nazi Germany, no trace of any of the previous more normal Germany in their environment and upbringing.

Well, most branches of the German military until late in the war were there to fight for Germany and German pride, not Nazi ideology. Especially the navy and army were not very keen on the whole camps and genocide thing.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 12:10 PM (KZzsI)

390 So real Nazism has never been tried? Or Nazism hasn't worked because we haven't had the right Fuehrer? Or the problem with Hitler was that he killed some of the wrong people?

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 09:27 AM (+y/Ru)

Dawkins isn't wrong. The problem is that the wrong people are doing the eugenics-izing. Always the wrong people.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 16, 2020 12:10 PM (LxWV7)

391 I think "totally upends" is different than
"contributing factor" and "to some degree". Brits had contributing
factor, American possibly same factor.



Nazi ideology, generation raised on superiority and dehumanization
of non-arians allowed then to deal savagely with anyone they
encountered. Amphetamines or whatever else they were fed, did not turn
them into animals.



Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 12:04 PM (zr5Kq)

---
Are you saying that if you feed combat troops meth for weeks on end, they'll remain perfectly in control of themselves?

I'm taking a dispassionate look at the Problem of Evil and you're trying to smear me as a Nazi apologist.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:13 PM (cfSRQ)

392 Am reading Schlichter's latest "Wildfire."
Hilarious and entertaining.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 16, 2020 12:13 PM (axyOa)

393 Drugs in combat only add around 24 extra hours of utility until the unit is completely useless. Normal extreme for a unit in combat is 72 hours. At that point they all have the thousand yard stare.

Posted by: Mel Gibson at February 16, 2020 12:13 PM (QZCjk)

394

Not sure drugs had anything to do with that.


It was public funding of the arts.

Notice how countries where the arts are publicly funded (e.g. Europe) have more unstable polities than those philistine Anglo-Saxon countries that don't?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at February 16, 2020 12:14 PM (7rVsF)

395 Jordan61,
I'd move to Northern Idaho in a heartbeat if Mrs D would agree.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 16, 2020 12:14 PM (axyOa)

396 There are well documented incidents of atrocities perpetrated by the German Army during the First World War.

Yeah they did some pretty ghastly stuff even in WWI, it was a hint of what was to come. Cold blooded and merciless.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 12:15 PM (KZzsI)

397
There are well documented incidents of atrocities perpetrated by the German Army during the First World War.

Also the Austrian-Hungarian Army.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at February 16, 2020 12:16 PM (7rVsF)

398 So real Nazism has never been tried? Or Nazism hasn't worked because we haven't had the right Fuehrer? Or the problem with Hitler was that he killed some of the wrong people?

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 09:27 AM (+y/Ru)

Dawkins isn't wrong. The problem is that the wrong people are doing the eugenics-izing. Always the wrong people.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 16, 2020 12:10 PM (LxWV7)


Sure.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that if all my neighbor's were to dry up and go away, and their homes razed to the ground, I'd have a better view of the landscape... and an easier commute to work.

There are lots of things that would make MY life easier. And they're wrong. Always.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 12:16 PM (hku12)

399 Just watched the commercial Trump made for the Daytona 500. I am constantly amazed at how savvy he is. After seeing what he reads today, I am beginning to realize what total fools the Democrats are thinking he i s some kind of lucky dunce. He really is playing three dimensional chess.

Posted by: sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 16, 2020 12:16 PM (QzF6i)

400 *quietly takes notes on effects of dosing Book Thread commenters with Pervitin*

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 12:17 PM (Dc2NZ)

401 *Observes sense of euphoria followed by uptick in violence*

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 12:18 PM (Dc2NZ)

402 There are well documented incidents of atrocities
perpetrated by the German Army during the First World War. Not as many,
not anywhere near the scale, but of the same order as what they did in
the sequel.



Not sure drugs had anything to do with that.



Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 12:10 PM (hku12)

---
That's my point. They were not as many nor on the same scale.

The Allies also committed atrocities and had every reason to highlight the Germans' failures.

IIRC, the naval blockade of Germany was not lifted until well into 1919, an act that Churchill called worse than evil because it was also stupid.

World War I is interesting because given the scale of the slaughter, the Allies had to come up with a compelling moral reason for the cost.

The brilliant 1960s CBS documentary on World War I put it well when it said that Germany would never live down the atrocity stories that were spread about them - but that a later generation would live up to them.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:18 PM (cfSRQ)

403 Drugs in combat only add around 24 extra hours of utility until the unit is completely useless. Normal extreme for a unit in combat is 72 hours. At that point they all have the thousand yard stare.
Posted by: Mel Gibson at February 16, 2020 12:13 PM (QZCjk)


The Brits gave rum to their soldiers and sailors, and they had it down to a science, how much you could give them to assist with their "courage," how much it would take before they became useless drunk sots.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 12:19 PM (hku12)

404 The problem of why the Germans ended up so horrific is complicated, there was nothing innately or genetically about Germans that makes them uniquely horrible. In fact, if you go back through history, the main thing that makes the Nazis so awful was their efficiency and scope of evil, not the unique nature of it or how bad it was.

Many in the past did ghastly things or even worse for sometimes no reason at all. They just didn't have the tools or the reach to attempt what the Germans managed to pull off efficiently and mechanistically.

Its almost like there's something horrible within us as humans that drives us to do this kind of thing unless restrained by outside forces.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 12:19 PM (KZzsI)

405 Nood.

Posted by: Prii Owners at February 16, 2020 12:20 PM (DMUuz)

406 Are you saying that if you feed combat troops meth for weeks on end, they'll remain perfectly in control of themselves?

I'm taking a dispassionate look at the Problem of Evil and you're trying to smear me as a Nazi apologist.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:13 PM (cfSRQ)

Amphetamine use can cause aggression and especially at high levels causing poor sleep. Just a clinical fact, NOT an excuse, but then you are certainly not excusing it. I suppose Nazis considered that aggression as a feature not a bug.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 12:20 PM (ONvIw)

407 401
*Observes sense of euphoria followed by uptick in violence*



Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 12:18 PM (Dc2NZ)

---
Good thing pot is legal in Michigan...

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:20 PM (cfSRQ)

408 The willingness of troops raised in a culturally sophisticated and Christian culture to commit atrocities has always been the issue,

-
I blame Adam and Eve. They ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and became like gods. So too did the Nazis. They were so right they couldn't be wrong plus their racial superiority meant that they couldn't be defeated so there would be no consequences. For similar, see Stalin. The arc of history was on his side and he was creating utopia. See also Pol Pot. And ISIS has Allah.

The really horrifying thing about this is how little it takes to transform normal people. If you wanted to get ahead in Germany you had to join the Party and, of course, criticism was verboten. Offer incentives and a rationale for people to act badly and they'll act badly.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at February 16, 2020 12:20 PM (+y/Ru)

409 Are you saying that if you feed combat troops meth for weeks on end, they'll remain perfectly in control of themselves?

I'm taking a dispassionate look at the Problem of Evil and you're trying to smear me as a Nazi apologist.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:13 PM (cfSRQ)

I would encourage you not to engage in explaining Evil. Many tried and failed. Many who are more clever than any one of us here. A would also encourage you to not to minimize effect of nazi ideology. If you are taught from he cradle that certain peoples are not human, it makes it easier to destroy. No need for drugs. Conditioning.

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 12:21 PM (zr5Kq)

410 399 Just watched the commercial Trump made for the Daytona 500. I am constantly amazed at how savvy he is. After seeing what he reads today, I am beginning to realize what total fools the Democrats are thinking he i s some kind of lucky dunce. He really is playing three dimensional chess.
Posted by: sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 16, 2020 12:16 PM (QzF6i)


This morning on Twitter I read some prog clown who said, and this is a direct quote, Trump is a total fcukup, unquote. Like he's incompetent.. I was tempted to respond "And yet, he's kicking your ass" but I didn't want to get into a big brouhaha on Sunday morning.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 12:21 PM (AWstk)

411 The Brits gave rum to their soldiers and sailors,
and they had it down to a science, how much you could give them to
assist with their "courage," how much it would take before they became
useless drunk sots.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 16, 2020 12:19 PM (hku12)

---
Certain Guard units got double-doses, because Guards.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:22 PM (cfSRQ)

412 *quietly takes notes on effects of dosing Book Thread commenters with Pervitin*
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 12:17 PM (Dc2NZ)

401 *Observes sense of euphoria followed by uptick in violence*
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 12:18 PM


Have you controlled for pants-wearing?

Posted by: Duncanthrax The Austere at February 16, 2020 12:22 PM (DMUuz)

413 Amphetamine use can cause aggression and especially
at high levels causing poor sleep. Just a clinical fact, NOT an excuse,
but then you are certainly not excusing it. I suppose Nazis considered
that aggression as a feature not a bug.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 12:20 PM (ONvIw)

---
Thank you.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:22 PM (cfSRQ)

414 *quietly takes notes on effects of dosing Book Thread commenters with Pervitin*

I think this group is pervy enough without a pill

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 12:23 PM (KZzsI)

415 At the risk of sounding disrespectful toward the greatest generation and our troops, I suspect that in the heat of war both sides engaged in some pretty godawful crap they'd rather not talk about or remember in the line of battle. Stuff that historians DO mention about the German troops.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 11:55 AM (KZzsI)

Years ago, I watched a documentary on the Battle of the Bulge where two veterans were interviewed together. After the Malmedy massacre of 84 American PWs during the Battle of the Bulge, American troops just started shooting surrendering Germans during the counter-offensive. One of the veterans denied any such thing happened. The other veteran gave him a hard look, said, "You know we did. I did." The other man nodded, tears in his eyes. And that was that. My heart went out to them.

Posted by: troyriser at February 16, 2020 12:24 PM (E2EAq)

416 >*quietly takes notes on effects of dosing Book Thread commenters with Pervitin*

I think this group is pervy enough without a pill
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 12:23 PM (KZzsI)


*shrug*

Couldn't hurt.

Posted by: hogmartin at February 16, 2020 12:24 PM (t+qrx)

417 Have you controlled for pants-wearing?
Posted by: Duncanthrax The Austere at February 16, 2020 12:22 PM (DMUuz)
---
I'm in the no pants control group.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 12:24 PM (Dc2NZ)

418 Years and years of mocking all-things-Michigan, and now all of a sudden it's like every other poster is in the thumb. I was led to believe there was a migration out -- and that was some pretty forceful leading, too.

Selfridge was organized, and partially funded, by Henry Joy, president of Packard. Part of the Packard R and D field and hangars still exist, and Selfridge has a remarkable aviation museum and collection of its own, open only occasionally because it's staffed and funded only by volunteers, mostly veterans. There is one of each plane that was regularly based there, which means the oldest one is a SPAD.

Call first. Once in a while there will be a little convention group or special-interest event, and there are special guided tours by people who actually used and maintained the planes. I got to spend an hour in a Navy sonar buoy "bomber" with the original crew, who knew when every Russian sub left Murmansk. They said that if you couldn't walk from Iceland to Greenland on their buoys, you were a bad hopper.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at February 16, 2020 12:25 PM (8IOEj)

419 > If there are great novels being written today, I have no idea what they are, or how to find them.

I can tell you exactly where they are: they're on Amazon Kindle. The likelihood of a Big Five publisher publishing a truly great novel nowadays is close to zero. Fortunately the much-maligned Amazon will publish anything.

Finding them in the giant pile of not-so-great stuff is a different story.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 16, 2020 12:25 PM (Ewo9R)

420 > *quietly takes notes on effects of dosing Book Thread commenters with Pervitin*

New Folger's Crystal Meth.

We replaced Bob's morning coffee with a hefty dose of amphetamines. Let's see if he notices.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 16, 2020 12:27 PM (Ewo9R)

421 The likelihood of a Big Five publisher publishing a truly great novel nowadays is close to zero.

I agree. Indy is where the good stuff is but like you say, you have to wade through an ocean of crap to find it unfortunately. So many great books basically lost and dead because no one knows where they are, and there's no major organization willing or interested in finding them and letting people know.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 12:28 PM (KZzsI)

422 Thank you.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:22 PM (cfSRQ)

Any old time. Some of the sleepless addicts I worked with, as well as the sleepless bipolars, could be exceedingly dangerous. And when you couple that with "these people are the enemy" you have a prescription for targeted, paranoid violence.

And it's not explaining away violence in anyway.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 12:28 PM (ONvIw)

423 Have a pleasant and productive day, Book People.

I leave you with Tom Tom Club and "Wordy Rappington":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0Fs8IFTFDE

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 16, 2020 12:29 PM (Dc2NZ)

424 I would encourage you not to engage in explaining
Evil. Many tried and failed. Many who are more clever than any one of
us here. A would also encourage you to not to minimize effect of nazi
ideology. If you are taught from he cradle that certain peoples are not
human, it makes it easier to destroy. No need for drugs.
Conditioning.

Posted by: runner at February 16, 2020 12:21 PM (zr5Kq)

---
The officers and NCOs in 1941 were not "taught from the cradle" Nazi ideology because they came of age before the Nazis took power.
The full-strength army would have been staffed with troops in their 20s, which means born between 1911 and 1921, so some would have childhood memories of the Kaiser, others would have come up under Weimar, and only the youngest (and most junior in rank) would have been raised with Nazi propaganda.

Meth use does not excuse, absolve or otherwise justify atrocity, but it does provide a clue as to how it could happen in an army otherwise famous for severe discipline.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 16, 2020 12:30 PM (cfSRQ)

425
This morning on Twitter I read some prog clown who said, and this is
a direct quote, Trump is a total fcukup, unquote. Like he's
incompetent.. I was tempted to respond "And yet, he's kicking your ass"
but I didn't want to get into a big brouhaha on Sunday morning.
+++++++This was why I thoroughly enjoyed this morning's content. It reinforced my feeling that Trump really is a genius. You just don;t get to rein over a Real Estate empire like that without knowing what you are doing and the fact that he read all those books on China....wow. I had a laugh thinking about my liberal friends yelling about how tariffs were going to destory the economy and be the downfall of Trump.

Posted by: sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 16, 2020 12:30 PM (QzF6i)

426 Vincent Price was Robur in the Master of the World movie. The movie was probably better than the book.
Posted by: freaked at February 16, 2020 10:13 AM (Tnijr)

There was a Verne novel entitled "Robur The Conqueror". I have a copy of it. Not bad, it's essentially Captain Nemo with a flying machine instead of a submarine. But his flying machine only flies, it cannot travel on land, or on or under the sea.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 16, 2020 12:32 PM (LxWV7)

427 The movie was probably better than the book.

That wouldn't have been difficult to pull off.

There was a Verne novel entitled "Robur The Conqueror".

Its a prequel? Or just a previous novel featuring the same character. Master of the World is basically his upgrade to the Albatross in Robur the Conqueror.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 12:34 PM (KZzsI)

428 This morning on Twitter I read some prog clown who said, and this is a direct quote, Trump is a total fcukup, unquote. Like he's incompetent.. I was tempted to respond "And yet, he's kicking your ass" but I didn't want to get into a big brouhaha on Sunday morning.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 12:21 PM (AWstk)


He trolls them just as hard as Gaylord did us except we stayed untriggered.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2020 12:35 PM (y7DUB)

429 > If there are great novels being written today, I have no idea what they are, or how to find them.

I can tell you exactly where they are: they're on Amazon Kindle. The likelihood of a Big Five publisher publishing a truly great novel nowadays is close to zero. Fortunately the much-maligned Amazon will publish anything.

Finding them in the giant pile of not-so-great stuff is a different story.
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 16, 2020 12:25 PM (Ewo9R)


The New York Review of Books Publishing has released some really good stuff. The Door by Magda Szabo and Stoner by John Williams are outstanding imo.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2020 12:42 PM (y7DUB)

430 IN re that LAT Blog article from 2011 about Trump's China books knowledge. Off the top of his head to a reporter, Pre-Literally Hitler rattled 20 different books on China he had read. Hillary and Obama don't have that many books between them on ANY subject.

But...the fascinating this was seeing a book by Stefan Halper on the list.

Posted by: Whoa Nelly at February 16, 2020 12:47 PM (D+5jX)

431 Since I had to give up Neal Stephenson for aggravated wokery I decided to branch out of sci-fi and try a new genre. It's now all fantasy crap, except for the SJW fiction masquerading as sci-fi. I just give up on the whole genre - another intellectual monopoly for the Left.

Scott Johnson of Powerline recommended the Joe Pickett novels by CJ Boxx. Burned through 11 so far, just completing Force of Nature. Really enjoying them and highly recommended. Really much less far-fetched than a 12-year old Mary Sue trans saving Earth while destroying the patriarchy and finding true love with a dragon-kin.

Posted by: motionview at February 16, 2020 12:57 PM (pYQR/)

432 I wonder about those women who bought Steinem's BS and threw away all of their opportunities to marry, what they thought when the woman whose advice they took suddenly and publicly repudiated everything she had ever written? And now they're old and lonely, but Gloria has a husband. I wonder how they feel about that?
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:36 AM (AWstk),

I just saw an article today about how single, esp. childless retirees are choosing to co-habitate with same (of either sex), kind of like surrogate spouses/family, to have someone to share expenses and chores, drive them to the doctor, basically give a crap if they live or die.

There are a whole slew of single professional women I work with in their late 40s and 50s, most of them with no siblings, who are struggling to cope with elder care issues right now. They must be thinking: "Who will take care of me in 20- 30 years?"

Posted by: Gem at February 16, 2020 12:57 PM (65i3Q)

433 I wonder about those women who bought Steinem's BS and threw away all of their opportunities to marry, what they thought when the woman whose advice they took suddenly and publicly repudiated everything she had ever written? And now they're old and lonely, but Gloria has a husband. I wonder how they feel about that?
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:36 AM (AWst)

It wasn't just women who were sold that bill of goods....

Posted by: JoeF. at February 16, 2020 01:02 PM (CqE5x)

434 And now they're old and lonely, but Gloria has a husband. I wonder how they feel about that?
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 11:36 AM (AWstk),

I don't know too many women who turned down marriage in order to shine their feminist badge. The unmarried women I know largely are unmarried because they had an unrealistic ideal in mind for themselves and would not be satisfied without it. By the time they saw that they would never get their dream man, they often ran out of options, the men in the right age category (even in the older category) were not looking for women their age. I recall one woman expressing despair after being told that a man her age wanted a woman in her child bearing years. Men get to wait.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 01:05 PM (ONvIw)

435 I liked the CJ Box books for a while then got kind of tired of them. They're like the British TV series where unspeakable murders keep happening within a 3 mile area of a tiny village for year after year.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 01:07 PM (KZzsI)

436 They must be thinking: "Who will take care of me in 20- 30 years?"
Posted by: Gem at February 16, 2020 12:57 PM (65i3Q)

They cozy up to the nieces and nephews when available. But even those of us with children realize that there is a possibility that they will not be of much help. Fact of life.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 01:07 PM (ONvIw)

437 435 I liked the CJ Box books for a while then got kind of tired of them. They're like the British TV series where unspeakable murders keep happening within a 3 mile area of a tiny village for year after year.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 01:07 PM (KZzsI)

The real estate must be grand and cheap. I think I'd move out.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 01:08 PM (ONvIw)

438 I recall one woman expressing despair after being told that a man her age wanted a woman in her child bearing years. Men get to wait.

Yeah but women in childbearing age dont want a 50 year old man so...

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 01:08 PM (KZzsI)

439 the "kiss dating goodbye" was the sort of thing only a closet gay would say. and now he is a supporter of the rainbow flag. didn't surprise me in the least.

Posted by: Boulder t'hobo at February 16, 2020 01:14 PM (4mTwg)

440 Yeah but women in childbearing age dont want a 50 year old man so...
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 01:08 PM (KZzsI)


I've known some extremely attractive women who've had prolonged relationships with much older men including marriage and children.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2020 01:14 PM (y7DUB)

441 Yeah but women in childbearing age dont want a 50 year old man so...
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 01:08 PM (KZzsI)

Plenty do, especially if he's stable financially and that does not mean "rich". And childbearing age runs til about 42. A 19yo won't want a 50yo, but a 35-40 will be more amenable.

One of my kids was telling me about a miniature trend among women that age to find a childless guy in his late 40s -50s and make a baby. Some end up married, others deal with the complicated relationship, but few find their child financially abandoned. This cannot be said of men who have prior families. I was pretty shocked and so was she.

Posted by: CN at February 16, 2020 01:17 PM (ONvIw)

442 In a similar vein to thre Bons story...

It's the 50th anniversary of Flashman being published.

Posted by: Luke at February 16, 2020 01:38 PM (LcCGY)

443 Its a prequel? Or just a previous novel featuring the same character. Master of the World is basically his upgrade to the Albatross in Robur the Conqueror.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 12:34 PM (KZzsI)

I don't know the sequence in writing them. Sure sounds like Master of the World is a sequel to Robur. "Robur" ends with the Albatross flying off into the sunset after soundly defeating the powered balloon "Go Ahead" in a contest of aeronautical derring-do.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 16, 2020 01:40 PM (LxWV7)

444 The German word ERKLÄRUNGSNOT refers to a moment in which you have been caught in a situation requiring an urgent explanation, but cannot find the words to account for your actions. It literally means ‘explanation poverty’.
-------

I once came upon a very obtuse bit of assembly code, written by an engineer who preceded me. In the comments it said, 'This is just too complicated to explain'.

As for books this week, my comments from last week apply. Still working on, 'The Making of the Atomic Bomb', 'Street With No Joy', and 'Operation Overflight'. Haven't started anything new.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at February 16, 2020 01:57 PM (HTHlp)

445 417 i'm in the no pants control group

is that the (no pants) control group or the no (pants control) group?

Posted by: Anachronda at February 16, 2020 01:57 PM (jSXhS)

446
I've known some extremely attractive women who've had prolonged relationships with much older men including marriage and children.
Posted by: Captain Hate
--------

See: Strom Thurmond

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at February 16, 2020 01:58 PM (HTHlp)

447 Thank you to the link on Trump's books. They're an interesting selection. That "The Prince" ranks highly does not surprise me; but the Emerson volume does. I have not read Emerson; but I will. I'm sure that it will yield some interesting insights into Trump.

Of course, the caricature of Trump as a yahoo is ... well, it's the same caricature the Left has used of every Republican since Coolidge.

Posted by: Brown Line at February 16, 2020 02:59 PM (S6ArX)

448 The woman in the photo looks like a young Queen Elizabeth II.

Posted by: Lawrence Person at February 16, 2020 05:47 PM (QdGwK)

449 435 I liked the CJ Box books for a while then got kind of tired of them. They're like the British TV series where unspeakable murders keep happening within a 3 mile area of a tiny village for year after year.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 16, 2020 01:07 PM (KZzsI)


It's just like any long running murder mystery TV series, like "Midsommar Murders." There are so many murders that half the town has to be dead and half of those who are left are trying to kill the other half.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Austere Religious Scholar at February 16, 2020 07:53 PM (zGtXn)

450 "The Germans have a word for everything"Well yes they do, its "alles".

Posted by: javapoppa at February 16, 2020 11:27 PM (vOBba)

451 Good morning!

Here are a few books I have enjoyed lately:

The Lost Husband by Katherine Center--about a widow and her two children. They end up moving in with the widow's Aunt who owns a goat farm. All about adjusting to new circumstances and forming a community. There are some touching and funny moments when one of the farm hands teaches the children how to stand up to bullies.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides--I have been meaning to read this for a long time. It is about a woman who is suspected of murdering her husband. She goes silent and mostly expressionless after the murder, ends up being declared insane, and becomes a ward of a mental institution. Her therapists at the institution try to get her to start talking again. There were some interesting twists, and it was a fast read.

I've also started reading the Callahan Garrity mystery series by Mary Kay Andrews (originally published under a pseudonym). Callahan is a former Atlanta police officer who now runs a house cleaning business. She is a PI on the side. Full of dry humor and snarkiness. I've read the first three.

Posted by: Violet at February 23, 2020 11:35 AM (9ppMC)

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