Sunday Morning Book Thread - 04-17-2022 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]

(Yes, it's a repeat. There's a method to my madness...)

Good morning, Horde! Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Sunday Morning Book Thread! The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading. Here is where we can discuss, argue, bicker, quibble, consider, debate, confabulate, converse, and jaw about our latest fancy in reading material, even if it's nothing more than the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. As always, pants are required, unless you are wearing these pants...

So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, scarf down that chocolate bunny rabbit, and crack open a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?

NOTE ON COMMENTS:

As a general rule on specialty threads (Book, Pet, Gun, Food, Gardening, etc.), please keep comments mostly relevant to the specialty of that thread. Comments that are simply about the events of the day don't really belong here. At the very least, a good rule of thumb is to obey the "100 comment" rule, where all comments should be relevant to the specialty subject until after 100 comments or so. Thank you.

Now on to the Cadbury creamy goodness of the Sunday Morning Book Thread! Today's entry will be a bit longer than usual, so please bear with me!

"PERFESSOR" SQUIRREL SPEAKS OUT!

Happy Easter! Today is the day when Christians around the world celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For believers, it's a concrete demonstration of Christ conquering both sin and death, not just for Himself, but for all mankind. Quite an achievement. He is the subject of one of the most powerful and influential books of all time, the Bible.

Today I wanted to do something a little different. This is my ninth entry in the esteemed Sunday Morning Book Thread. When I took over this column, for lack of a better word, I was very nervous. Trying to maintain the standard that OregonMuse (RIP) set is an intimidating challenge, to say the least. I am very fortunate that I've had the support of Weasel and CBD. Between them, they have helped me figure out how Minx 0.7 Alpha (Pixy's blog engine) works. It's revolutionary 1990s technology! (We are all still waiting for the upgrade to Minx 0.8 Alpha...#twoweeks...)

I'm also exceedingly blessed to have all of you reading this scruffy little corner of Ace of Spades HQ. Y'all tune in every week because you are at least as passionate about books and reading as I am. It's humbling to realize just how much of a reach this blog has. Even though we have our "core" group of commenters here, we also have uncounted readers and lurkers who tune in, day in and day out, because they view this blog as a major source of news, information, and yes, even entertainment.

Taking over this space has been a true blessing for many reasons. It's very satisfying to continue the work of OregonMuse (RIP). I want nothing more than to honor his memory by providing quality content in this space. That's why I am continuing some of his key features, but I also want to try and make this space a reflection of my own thinking. So don't be surprised if I try something out from time to time. Also, I encourage any and all of you to recommend ideas for this space! This isn't "my" blog content. It's "OUR" content!

I am also fortunate to have been contacted by authors who are eager to share their works with all of you. Some, like Gary Rafferty, author of Nothing Left to Give are new authors who have extraordinary stories to share about their personal experiences. Others, like Sarah A. Hoyt, are the authors of dozens of books. (See below!) Being able to connect with you personally via email just adds one more dimension to my blog-authoring activities.

Writing this column on a weekly basis is more complicated than you might expect. I have even more mad respect for all of the COBs and the head Ewok himself, Ace, for what they have to do to write and prepare content for this blog. So today I'm going to give you a peek behind the scenes on what it takes to compile the Sunday Morning Book Thread...This is inspired in part by a comment (on a non-Book Thread) that was posted a few weeks ago:

The inimitable cobs will never tell us how they compose their content, because if they did, everyone would just make their own content and traffic at the HQ would suffer, bigly....
Posted by: Zettai at March 28, 2022 11:06 PM (jkG9/)

Well, Zettai, if you are reading this, prepare to have your illusions shattered, my friend!

Every Sunday Morning Book Thread starts from a Google Doc. I go through the comments each week to cull recommendations and interesting comments that may be useful for next week's entry. I also take note of links that may be relevant or interesting, as well as jot any additional notes that may be helpful in compiling the Sunday Morning Book Thread.

Then I usually go searching for the images I need, such as pictures of libraries, pants, guilty pleasures, and a humorous meme or cartoon. I also have to tweak my "closing squirrel" image by adding a relevant book and the pimp hat as needed.

Once I have my resources and assets gathered, it's time to write the content. I compose my content in straight HTML using the Atom editing tool (it's free!). I really like this editor because it color-codes all of the HTML and also makes sure tags are closed correctly. I test out the content in a web browser to make sure things are lined up properly and that all of the links work. Once that is done, I have to strip out some of the HTML prior to publication (Pixy's blog-engine is weird that way).

The final step is to post the draft in Pixy's blog engine (Minx 0.7 Alpha). This involves feeding the hamsters hobo steaks and Valu-Rite. I also have to upload the images and do some final tweaking on the content. Then on Sunday morning, I publish the content at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time (I'm in Central time).

Each entry consists of a several different sections. Not every section will be posted every week, but I try to open with a library pic and close with Moron Recommendations. Between 2-3 additional sections make up the middle. I keep track of what sections have been posted each week in a Google Sheet. (I may have issues with Google, but I admit their Google Apps are VERY user-friendly and handy. Office365 is just horrible by comparison.). In particular, I have to track the Books by Morons to plan ahead, sometimes several weeks at a time. I post those on a first come, first serve basis unless there is some other reason not to.

Let's look at what goes into some of these sections...

PIC NOTE

Pictures of libraries are easy enough to find on the internet. But I would truly love to have more pictures of Moron libraries, like the one dedicated to Sherlock Holmes we saw last week.

IT PAYS TO INCREASE YOUR WORD POWER / TROPE AWARENESS / FICTIONAL GEOGRAPHY

A lot of you are published authors or would like to become authors. These sections are dedicated to the craft of writing in some way. Word power (vocabulary) is just one way to improve your craft. Understanding tropes and how they work is another way to improve. And the "fictional geography" is mostly just a way to spark creativity. I'm happy to add other tips and tricks for improving writing skills. If you would like me to expand this section even more, let me know in the comments!

My etymologist friend has been sending me quite a bit of usable content. I think he's thrilled that someone wants to feature some of the interesting stories he's uncovered on various words and phrases. So you can look forward to more of that!

WHO DIS

This is not meant to be a challenging puzzle game, but it can be a bit of fun. I try to come up with some clues about the authors. Like any good mystery, the answer will be found somewhere within the Sunday Morning Book Thread. I'm always happy to take suggestions.

++++++++++

BOOKS BY MORONS

We have a lot of published authors among the Moron Horde. Some of them are lurkers, but they reach out to me via email to ask if they can promote their work on the Sunday Morning Book Thread. I'm always happy to oblige! Authors have even offered me free copies of books, which is one of the perks of this gig, apparently. Signed copies of books are awesome!

I've come up with a way of capturing all of the Books by Morons that have been submitted so far so that you can peruse them at your leisure. I've added a special collection to my digital library on Libib: https://www.libib.com/u/perfessorsquirrel/l/1384940 From here, you can use the ISBN to search your favorite online bookseller or library (if you want to avoid Amazon) to find a copy.

By the way, if any Moron author is interested in donating a signed copy of one of their books as a door prize for the TXMOME, feel free to reach out to me. I'll see that the books reach their final destination in October (I plan on being there, but if I can't, I'll be sure to send them to someone who will be there.) NOTE: Make sure you sign the title page! I learned that this is the "correct" page to sign in a book from an author/guest speaker we invited to my campus for an event. We had her sign a bunch of her books for a similar door prize activity.

+-+-+-+-+

We do have one Book by a Moron, courtesy of Sarah A. Hoyt. She contacted me with the following:

Very lurky, very silent ette (unless something gets me angry. Nobody likes me angry.)

Anyway, I have a thingy out....
It started because I was trying to cheer myself up by writing these on my blog, then the Huns (Mostly a subset of Morons, I think) demanded I put them out as a book, and eventually I did.
https://tinyurl.com/v3k8hmsx

It has the advantage that retold fairy tales are mostly woke, and this definitely isn't.

Comment: I'm a sucker for "modern" style fairy tales. I love Neil Gaiman, for instance, who does this really well. I obtained a copy of Sarah's book and have been reading it. The tales are short, sweet, and to the point. Very much in the same style as an original fairy tale, but with modern conventions and modern setting. However, unlike a lot of "woke" fairy tales, the characters DO get to live happily ever after (for the most part). Quite enjoyable.

MORON RECOMMENDATIONS

To me, this is the best part of writing the Sunday Morning Book Thread. Mainly because you do most of the work. All I have to do is cull through the recommendations in the comments each week and pull out 3-4 recommendations that seem interesting. I'm in awe of the breadth and depth of the reading that we all do every week. We are an exceptionally well-read group of Morons. Your recommendations are what keep me reading on a regular basis (well, that and I just love reading).

Like the Books by Morons, I've been documenting all of the recommendations you've been providing as part of a special collection in my digital library at Libib. You can find the collection at: https://www.libib.com/u/perfessorsquirrel/l/1384512 I've tagged each recommendation with the nic of the person who recommended it. You can click on the tags to find other recommendations from that same person. For instance, "trimegistus" has two recommendations at the moment. You can click on one of the books to view the entire details, which includes the recommendation/review.

If you do not see your recommendation posted here on the Sunday Morning Book Thread, rest assured I've done my best to document it in the digital library.

+-----+-----+-----+-----+

That's about all I have for this week. Thank you for all of your kind words regarding my Sunday Morning Book Thread. This is a very special place. You are very special people (in all the best ways!). The kindness and generosity of the Moron Horde knows no bounds. Let's keep reading!

If you have any suggestions for improvement, reading recommendations, or writing projects that you'd like to see on the Sunday Morning Book Thread, you can send them to perfessor dot squirrel at-sign gmail dot com. Your feedback is always appreciated! You can also take a virtual tour of OUR library at libib.com/u/perfessorsquirrel. Since I added sections for AoSHQ, I now consider it OUR library, rather than my own personal fiefdom...

PREVIOUS SUNDAY MORNING BOOK THREAD - 04-10-22 (hat tip: vmom stabby stabby stabamillion) (NOTE: Do NOT comment on old threads!)

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Avast, book pirates!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at April 17, 2022 09:00 AM (Dc2NZ)

2 Tolle Lege

Posted by: Skip at April 17, 2022 09:00 AM (2JoB8)

3 Currently doing a re-read of the Empire From Ashes series by David Weber.

Posted by: Vic at April 17, 2022 09:00 AM (mZwKe)

4 Only nothing new to read, did stop at used book store but nothing grabbed me.

Posted by: Skip at April 17, 2022 09:01 AM (2JoB8)

5 Eris,

Arrrrrr!

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 17, 2022 09:02 AM (PiwSw)

6 Happy Easter

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 09:02 AM (yrol0)

7 Happy Easter, Horde! He is Risen!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 09:02 AM (K5n5d)

8 The squirrel has a strong pimp hand.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 17, 2022 09:03 AM (EZebt)

9 Good morning, 'rons and 'ronettes.

I know the Perfesser is going to be featuring my book soon, but this is a reminder that my new Theda Bara novel, The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of, is now out. Sarah Hoyt was kind enough to feature it in her own Sunday thread last week.

https://tinyurl.com/2p827y3t

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:05 AM (2JVJo)

10 I never realized how much time squirrels spend reading.

Posted by: JuJuBee at April 17, 2022 09:06 AM (mNhhD)

11 Westminster Confessions, Geneva Bible.

Posted by: Eromero at April 17, 2022 09:07 AM (0OP+5)

12 Good Easter morning, horde!

Thanks for stepping up, Perfesser. You have your own great style, so thank you.

I was thinking about OM yesterday. I miss him so much.

Also, I don't about pixy from a blogger standpoint, but I like this old "chat room" format.

Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at April 17, 2022 09:07 AM (OX9vb)

13 Happy Easter, Horde! He is Risen!
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 09:02 AM (K5n5d)

Glory Hallelujah!

Posted by: Count de Monet at April 17, 2022 09:07 AM (4I/2K)

14 Good morning and Happy Easter Hordemates!

I always thought the COBs used the Contentanator!

Posted by: Diogenes at April 17, 2022 09:09 AM (uO+/l)

15 Leslie Charteris opined through the Saint in the short story "The Arrow of God" that the problem with traditional mystery novels is that "the victim ... is usually a mere nonentity who wanders vaguely through the first few pages with the sole purpose of becoming a convenient body in the library by the end of Chapter One." (Gawd, I love Charteris' prose -- and his poems; more on that later.)

In "The Clocks," Agatha Christie goes one better -- the victim is introduced as a corpse at the end of the prologue. Midway through the book, we still know nothing about him.

But I don't really care because I'm greatly enjoying the vignettes of all the neighbors and passers-by: the mother ticking down the days until school resumes, the compost fanatic, the gossipy hens who cluster in front of the crime scene.

I get the same feeling at a large gathering -- I see heads in the distance and realize that they are people, with their own joys and sadnesses, to whom I am a distant speck. We likely never will cross each other's path.

(continued)

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 17, 2022 09:09 AM (Om/di)

16 That guilty pleasure book.....I think I bought that once at an old McCrory's store many moons ago.

Those pants....I'd wear them.

More coffee.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at April 17, 2022 09:09 AM (R/m4+)

17 I like the book recommendations, I have a list still to try to find/order/sitting on a shelf to be read

Posted by: Kindltot at April 17, 2022 09:09 AM (xhaym)

18 Good morning fellow Book Threadists and a blessed Easter to all. Watching Easter mass, in Latin, online. Be back in a bit.

Posted by: JTB at April 17, 2022 09:09 AM (7EjX1)

19 Christie takes a dual approach in this book. Some chapters are third person; others are related by an intelligence officer who was at the scene while trying to get a line on a spymaster. He brings in Hercule Poirot.

What I said about Charteris' prose goes for Christie. So enjoyable.

Now, about poetry, mentioned in last Sunday's Book Thread. Charteris occasionally had the Saint write humorous poems. I'll flip through the story just to reread them. As far as I know, Christie never tried poetry. Wonder how she would have fared.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 17, 2022 09:10 AM (Om/di)

20 My project this week is creating a book website. Yes, I have one (at kissmemyfool.com), but it's run by someone else and I have no access to it. She's much too busy now to keep it running, so I have to start from scratch. I'd love to keep the old design, but since I have no idea how (the site is hosted on Greengeeks), this is going to be a PITA.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:10 AM (2JVJo)

21 I finished Best Friends by Mary Bard. Mary wrote some biographical books about living in Seattle from the depression on that were a hoot, and also wrote several children's books aimed at girls. It is written in the 50's and really points out what has changed in 70 years

Suzie Green is 12 years old. lives with her widowed mother and grandparents, and is feeling isolated at school, when the Langdons move back into the pink house next door. The daughter is Clothilde (CoCo) who had been raised in France and has trouble with English, and has never lived in the US. they become close friends and face 6th grade together.

It is a nice book but a little slow on the plot since it was written for grade school girls and the drama is that a) they are 12 year old girls, b) they are 12 year old girls, and c) Mr. Langdon is a mining engineer who may be leaving to work in Mexico taking CoCo with him.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 17, 2022 09:10 AM (xhaym)

22 @4 --

Isn't that sad?

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 17, 2022 09:11 AM (Om/di)

23 Prolly been axed numerous times but what constitutes an "Old Thread" with regards to the commenting precaution; 24 hrs, 2, 3, 7 days?

Thanks and have a blessed Easter Sunday!

Book tip oldie/goodie:
"The Ballad of the White Horse" by GKC

Posted by: Billy the Mountain at April 17, 2022 09:11 AM (aIoD/)

24 Thanks for stepping up, Perfesser. You have your own great style, so thank you.

I was thinking about OM yesterday. I miss him so much.

Likewise. Has Doof been around lately? Wanted to wish him and his family a blessed Easter.

Posted by: Captain Hate won't forget Michael Byrd Murdered Ashli Babbitt at April 17, 2022 09:12 AM (y7DUB)

25 Hiya Bookies !

Happy Easter !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 09:12 AM (arJlL)

26 In "The Clocks," Agatha Christie goes one better

-
NPR's Poiror featured The Clocks last night. I recorded it but haven't watched it.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 09:13 AM (FVME7)

27 Only nothing new to read, did stop at used book store but nothing grabbed me.
Posted by: Skip

In this day and age, count yer blessings !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 09:13 AM (arJlL)

28 I read The Far Arena by Richard Ben Sapir which was recommended here a while back. Sapir tells a great story of an artic drilling team finding a body encased in ice eight and a half meters below the surface. The body is dug out and taken to Norway to a Russian scientist working on cryonics. The body is successfully brought to life, and turns out to be a famous Roman gladiator, Eugeni. In alternate chapters Eugeni's life story is told. A local nun, who is a scholar in Latin, is enlisted to translate. A great story well told.

Posted by: Zoltan at April 17, 2022 09:14 AM (iPh+w)

29 I don't think the pants guy owns a weedwhacker. (If you catch my drift)

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 09:14 AM (arJlL)

30 Haven't done any serious reading lately. Have been going through various devotionaries and the Scriptures, but my whole Lenten "digital fast" was pretty much a bust.

I have decided that I need to attend daily Mass; I was doing it through Holy Week and should add it to my normal routine. The church isn't far away, and on a clear day* I can say a rosary walking back to Stately Poppins Manor.

And I'm unhappy, but that can wait for a GAINZZ thread.

*you can see forever. A 1966 musical by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:16 AM (2JVJo)

31 @26 --

I hope your recording doesn't stop at 4:17.

(in-joke)

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 17, 2022 09:16 AM (Om/di)

32 I read The Far Arena by Richard Ben Sapir

-
I loved that book but it's not for the faint hearted. There is gruesome and explicit gladiator action.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 09:16 AM (FVME7)

33 Nice First, Eris ! And Happy Easter !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 09:17 AM (arJlL)

34 Yay, book thread! Happy Easter!

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:17 AM (llXky)

35 Ahoy, bookfagz!

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 09:18 AM (II3Gr)

36 JTB -

Happy Easter to you and the Missus !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 09:18 AM (arJlL)

37 My project this week is creating a book website. Yes, I have one (at kissmemyfool.com), but it's run by someone else and I have no access to it. She's much too busy now to keep it running, so I have to start from scratch. I'd love to keep the old design, but since I have no idea how (the site is hosted on Greengeeks), this is going to be a PITA.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:10 AM (2JVJo)
---
I've been using typepad for many years.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:18 AM (llXky)

38 BTW, I don't know which Moron recommended the Portland classical station to me, but many thanks. I find them to have a much better range than WCRB in Boston.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:19 AM (2JVJo)

39 Ahoy, bookfagz!
Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker

LOL !

Happy Easter !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 09:19 AM (arJlL)

40 @28 --

I hear references to Richard Ben Sapir, and I wonder whether he is also Richard B. Sapir, who with Warren Murphy created The Destroyer paperback series.

I should research that.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 17, 2022 09:21 AM (Om/di)

41 I've been using typepad for many years.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:18 AM (llXky)

I was looking at the Greengeeks site. If I could just have someone pull up my current site and show me how to make posts, embed music and videos and do sidebars to sell my books, I'd be fine. I really like the design I currently have.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:21 AM (2JVJo)

42 Happy Easter, Morons, thanks Perfessor!

Yay, Book Thread!

Re-reading The Oxford Book of Military Anecdotes edited by Max Hastings.

Posted by: goatexchange at April 17, 2022 09:21 AM (APPN8)

43 Ahoy, bookfagz!
Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker

**fistbump**

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:21 AM (2JVJo)

44 Those pants are eggzactly what I'm have been looking for!

Posted by: The Easter Hippie at April 17, 2022 09:22 AM (vrz2I)

45 I have decided that I need to attend daily Mass; I was doing it through Holy Week and should add it to my normal routine. The church isn't far away, and on a clear day* I can say a rosary walking back to Stately Poppins Manor.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:16 AM (2JVJo)
---
For Lent I did one daily Mass each week, and it was nice.

An interesting side effect is that after a while, the priests are like "oh, you're one of those people" and you get Strange New Respect.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:22 AM (llXky)

46 I was looking at the Greengeeks site. If I could just have someone pull up my current site and show me how to make posts, embed music and videos and do sidebars to sell my books, I'd be fine. I really like the design I currently have.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:21 AM (2JVJo)
---
I imagine its a question of login and password access. Not sure why someone wouldn't be willing to transfer that to you, particularly if you're willing to pay for it.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:23 AM (llXky)

47 35 Ahoy, bookfagz!
Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 09:18 AM (II3Gr)

Shouldn't that have more than one "z"?

Posted by: m at April 17, 2022 09:24 AM (CRS/E)

48 "Virgil Wander" might be my favorite Leif Enger book. Virgil and his slowly rusting little mining town in northern Minnesota are both sort of stuck in the past and can't seem to shake off their torpor. After an accident leaves Virgil alive but slightly disassociated from his surroundings, he decides to not fall back into his existential rut and to look at things with a fresh perspective. It's a very gentle story about about a man and a town coming back to life. It's also very funny. Highly recommended.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at April 17, 2022 09:24 AM (Dc2NZ)

49 The town's baseball team had a noodle-armed pitcher with a wild googly pitch that defied physics, and his disappearance while flying is one of the great mysteries of the book.

"The Dukes, like many minor league clubs, sought to arouse their fans with offbeat promotions; in this case they'd hired a dinky warlike rhesus monkey to carry a cane and wear a top hat for on-field stunts. The monkey was a crude entertainer who pleased the crowd by strutting triumphantly, pointing at its own butt or, when the team was losing, emerging in late innings to whiz on the umpire. The Dukes had been fined repeatedly for its behavior, but kept trotting it out anyway. Plain and simple, the monkey sold tickets."

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at April 17, 2022 09:25 AM (Dc2NZ)

50 Reading news: All China, all the time. No wait! Now I'm reading about Japan because I've reached the point in my history where Japan kicks China's butt. I feel that should be explained a little more fully.

I have a friend who is into Japanese history so he dumped a bunch of books on me Friday. An abundance of riches...

I can offer a mild recommendation for The Open Empire by Valerie Hansen. It's a reasonable overview of Chinese history, goes pretty fast, and she's not too annoyingly feminist, though like Barbara Tuchman she has that tic of assuming that all sensible people know that women should be allowed to do whatever they want even though no culture in history has done it and that whole premise is crumbling before our eyes.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:27 AM (llXky)

51 I have decided that I need to attend daily Mass; I was doing it through Holy Week and should add it to my normal routine. The church isn't far away, and on a clear day* I can say a rosary walking back to Stately Poppins Manor.

Posted by: Mary 4P

We homeschooled and daily Mass was their religion class as well as a way to get them going early every morning.
All 4 were weekday and Sunday alter servers and got funeral and wedding duty as well.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 17, 2022 09:27 AM (RjT9g)

52 Hot Coffee!!! Let's go Leicester!!!

Posted by: Qmark at April 17, 2022 09:29 AM (emnp2)

53 I imagine its a question of login and password access. Not sure why someone wouldn't be willing to transfer that to you, particularly if you're willing to pay for it.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:23 AM (llXky)

Thank you for that suggestion. I just e-mailed her and asked her for all the access.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:29 AM (2JVJo)

54 I just finished reading "I KILLED " True Stories of the Road from America's Top Comics.

There were a FEW truly funny stories but it was a lot of meh and bleh.

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 09:30 AM (arJlL)

55 Let's go Leicester!!!
-----------------------------
You Square!

Posted by: andycanuck (UHVv4) at April 17, 2022 09:30 AM (UHVv4)

56 Which brings me to writing news. Not a lot, because of all the reading. I'm over 42,000 words, which is good but also well behind schedule.

One thing I do is I have a spreadsheet of projects that I regularly update. I started this when I got serious about writing and it helps tremendously. I track the title, story arc, word count and (paperback) page count.

This was really helpful because with novels, I was never sure how long they should be. I know have a benchmark so I know if I'm dragging it out or if I can wrap it up. Even with nonfiction it's good to see where I am vs other works (such a Long Live Death).

I personally hate books that go on and on an prefer a concise, tight stories to sprawling wordy ones. So when I crest 40,000 words, that the point I start to say: "Right, so we can start wrapping this one up."

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:30 AM (llXky)

57 The Dukes had been fined repeatedly for its behavior, but kept trotting it out anyway. Plain and simple, the monkey sold tickets."
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at April 17, 2022 09:25 AM (Dc2NZ)

I wonder if that's a shout-out to (I think) Miller Huggins, who managed the Yankees and Cardinals, and was famous for stunts such as suiting up a midget, who would crunch down when at bat, effectively having no strike zone.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:31 AM (2JVJo)

58 The 100 Days of Dante concluded today. I wondered how Dante would handle it. How does anyone describe what is beyond human experience? Basically, he doesn't but he does point the way to that ultimate destination which is through the Virgin Mary. She is the pivotal point between human and divine.

There are so many levels to the Comedy that one reading won't be enough to do more than skim the edges. Next up is using the Dorothy Sayers translation and notes to get a different perspective.

BTW, the Youtube video for Canto 31 of the Paradiso is outstanding, informative and enthusiastic. The 100 days program was definitely worth the time.

Posted by: JTB at April 17, 2022 09:31 AM (7EjX1)

59 Which brings me to writing news. Not a lot, because of all the reading. I'm over 42,000 words, which is good but also well behind schedule.

I need to get back to work writing, myself. My new project will be another supernatural Theda Bara story along the lines of Thirteen Moons, but more novelette than story. I have a basic idea and have written an opening chapter (I'm good at those), but I need to plot the thing out over the next month.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:34 AM (2JVJo)

60 Hi, all - let me say first that I bought and read "Old Magics" and it was a very nice read, and nicely done. Each story was just enough that one or two was perfect to read before falling asleep.
I missed last week's thread, as I had a two-day book event in New Braunfels which sopped up the whole weekend - but late next may, I'll be at the Lone Star festival in Seguin, with a whole bunch of other Texas authors. I'll send some information to the Perfesser about this, as I am sure that any Texas 'ron who loves books will want to check it out.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at April 17, 2022 09:35 AM (xnmPy)

61 Psst. Weak Geek. Leslie was a man.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 17, 2022 09:36 AM (7bRMQ)

62 Read "The winter soldier" by Daniel Mason. World War 1 book. Excellent 5 stars book, Here Goodread description of book:
From the gilded ballrooms of Imperial Vienna to the frozen forests of the Eastern Front; from hardscrabble operating rooms to battlefields thundering with Cossack cavalry, The Winter Soldier is the story of war and medicine, of family, of finding love in the sweeping tides of history, and finally, of the mistakes we make, and the precious opportunities to atone.

Posted by: redmonkey at April 17, 2022 09:36 AM (0+Ppk)

63 @56 --

s I have a spreadsheet of projects that I regularly update. I started this when I got serious about writing and it helps tremendously. I track the title, story arc, word count and (paperback) page count.

For me, accounts such as this produce yet more respect for authors whose careers preceded the digital era.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 17, 2022 09:37 AM (Om/di)

64 A couple of weeks back there was some discussion about Douglas MacArthur's strategic acumen (or lack thereof) and one of the books I'm reading offers some insight.

It's The Chysanthemum and the Sword by Ruth Benedict, and was written just after WW II by one of the researchers who was drafted to make sense of Japanese culture. She notes that the steady drumbeat of defeats did have an effect on Japanese morale but also on Americans as well.

That was a point I wanted to highlight. Yes, the US lost troops that otherwise would have been available to strike Japan, but it was symbolically important to both the US and our allies that we had liberated the Philippines. Taking Saipan or Tarawa meant nothing to the American public, but they could grasp that avenging our defeat in 1942 meant we were definitely winning.

Too many armchair strategists lose sight of that, trying to focus on what they consider to be hard metrics. In reality, fighting spirit and the will to go on is the most important 'metric' of all.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:38 AM (llXky)

65 See what reading comprehension does? Agatha was most definitely not a man. Can't even read straight today or write straight. Having a heck of a time being able to show not tell either....

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 17, 2022 09:39 AM (7bRMQ)

66 I came across mention of a Seamus Heaney translation of Book 6 of The Aeneid. (The local library had a copy, to my amazement.) Just got it yesterday so haven't done more than thumb through it; not enough to appreciate the poetry. I didn't realize it was bilingual, Latin on the left and Heaney's translation facing it. I'm having fun picking out the bits of the Latin I can understand, which isn't much but is satisfying to try.

When I'm done with the first reading I'll compare the Fagles Book 6 version to note the different approaches.

Posted by: JTB at April 17, 2022 09:39 AM (7EjX1)

67 The 100 Days of Dante concluded today. (snip)
Posted by: JTB

For anyone that enjoys Sci-Fi and/or Niven and Pournelle I enjoyed "Inferno" and recommend it.

https://is.gd/68ANcC

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 17, 2022 09:40 AM (RjT9g)

68 ...so I have to start from scratch. I'd love to keep the old design, but since I have no idea how

Got a college or JC near you with an IT program? You could probably get a student to build you a site for peanuts plus a nice credit line so he can use it for a portfolio. And if you want it to look just like the old site, the hardest part of the job -- defining the requirements -- is already done.

Posted by: Oddbob at April 17, 2022 09:40 AM (nfrXX)

69 I'll send some information to the Perfesser about this, as I am sure that any Texas 'ron who loves books will want to check it out.
Posted by: Sgt. Mom at April 17, 2022 09:35 AM (xnmPy)
---
I look forward to hearing about it and I can certainly do a shout-out in an upcoming Sunday Morning Book Thread!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 09:40 AM (K5n5d)

70 I've finished listening to book 1 Shelby Foote's Civil War. It's fascinating.
I have a question for those who are much more versed in the Civil War than I am.
In going through the book it struck me that a lot of generals got. In fact two minutes of research told me around 500 Union and 400 Confederate generals were killed.
That seems like a lot to me. Is it an unusual number in comparison to other wars?

Posted by: N.L. Urker, the Phillips screwdriver of the gods at April 17, 2022 09:41 AM (eGTCV)

71 Nice map of Middle-Earth that Road Ent has on the wall up there.

Posted by: davidt at April 17, 2022 09:41 AM (ktgZC)

72 @61 --

I know that. I even know that Charteris was not his original name.

Did autocorrect screw me over again? I swear I proofread this.

I will admit that when I first started reading Saint stories in my teens, the "Leslie" threw me.

And I recently learned that the writer of most of the Hardy Boys books was a woman.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 17, 2022 09:41 AM (Om/di)

73 Nice map of Middle-Earth that Road Ent has on the wall up there.
Posted by: davidt at April 17, 2022 09:41 AM (ktgZC)
---
Thanks! In the lower-left corner of the map is my ticket stub from "Return of the King." I went and saw that in the theater with one of my old college buddies. I just happened to find that stub in the pocket of my coat one day and added it to the map...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 09:43 AM (K5n5d)

74 Posted by: Oddbob at April 17, 2022 09:40 AM (nfrXX)

Thanks for the suggestion! I will keep it in mind if I can't get control of the site I have now.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:44 AM (2JVJo)

75 Prolly been axed numerous times but what constitutes an "Old Thread" with regards to the commenting precaution; 24 hrs, 2, 3, 7 days?

Pixy's rules are dark and subject to change without notice. One calendar day seems safe enough but there's really no point in commenting on yesterday's thread because no one is going to see it.

Posted by: Oddbob at April 17, 2022 09:44 AM (nfrXX)

76 Love the map of Middle-Earth in the top photo. I have the same or very similar one. It's a better version than the wall poster one I had in junior high. (I managed to avoid the "Frodo Lives" posters that were popular with the hippie/beatnik types in the 1960s. Same with the pretentious "I Grok" posters.)

Posted by: JTB at April 17, 2022 09:44 AM (7EjX1)

77 I misinformed the Horde last week. After some Moron recommended the ancient Egyptian mysteries of Paul Doherty, I bought and am reading what I through wad the first in his Egyptian mysteries series, An Evil Spirit Out of the West. Turns out he's one of those authors who publishes two novels a week plus nonfiction histories and holding down a full time job and got the wrong ancient Egypt series, the The Akhenaten-trilogy, when I was trying to read the Egyptian Mysteries Series. No matter, Evil Spirit is good and I'll read the others later. Meanwhile, a glance at his output is enlightening.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_C._Doherty

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 09:46 AM (FVME7)

78 36 ... "Happy Easter to you and the Missus!"

Good morning JT and the same to you and yours.

Posted by: JTB at April 17, 2022 09:46 AM (7EjX1)

79 I will admit that when I first started reading Saint stories in my teens, the "Leslie" threw me.

And I recently learned that the writer of most of the Hardy Boys books was a woman.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 17, 2022 09:41 AM (Om/di)

Nah, I corrected myself above. You meant you wondered if AC might have written good poetry, I was still thinking Charteris.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 17, 2022 09:47 AM (7bRMQ)

80 That seems like a lot to me. Is it an unusual number in comparison to other wars?

Posted by: N.L. Urker, the Phillips screwdriver of the gods at April 17, 2022 09:41 AM (eGTCV)
---
Likely it is, and the two reasons that immediately come to mind are the practice of leading from the front and also the use of rifled muskets, which made it a lot easier to pick up that guy at the front of the column.

I also think both sides were offering a lot more GO commissions because it was such a useful tool for political patronage.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:47 AM (llXky)

81 I wish I still had my Pauline Baynes Middle Earth map.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at April 17, 2022 09:48 AM (Dc2NZ)

82 I am not reading it at the moment because I am at church getting ready for the Easter service, but I have been reading "The Joy of Full surrender" by Fr Jean Pierre de Cassandra. A priest, spiritual advisor and retreat leader. He lived up till sometime in the 1700's and it's a very thought provoking book. It is very concerned with the sovereignity of God. I think bluebell had been reading it as well. This is my third time. I like to read certain beloved books several times.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 17, 2022 09:48 AM (VP4Hd)

83 It's de Cassaude not Cassandra. Darn autocorrect

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 17, 2022 09:49 AM (VP4Hd)

84
Happy Easter !
Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 09:19 AM (arJlL

You too!

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 09:49 AM (II3Gr)

85 Currently reading Home Town by Tracy Kidder. One of those books I meant to read forever, never got around to. Life in the small city of Northampton, Mass. Narrative gets carried by the perspective of the home grown small town cop, Tommy O'Connor.
Really just loving this book because of it's concern being totally centered on this one place, which I happen to know very well although from a considerable distance. It's allowing me to put aside the rest of the world while reading it.
Totally would recommend to anyone, quite enjoyable.

Posted by: From about that time at April 17, 2022 09:50 AM (4780s)

86 Nothing like a great art book when the new puppy leaves you little time to read.

This week's pleasure is "Vermeer: The Complete Works, edited by Karl Sch�tz.

Vermeer's paintings are scarce, perhaps thirty-five in all (there have been many misattributions), and I seek them out whenever I'm near a museum that has one.

One of the most delightful museums is New York City, the Frick, has *three.*

Posted by: Brett at April 17, 2022 09:50 AM (Sm9Ko)

87 Also on another note, if you are a church goer please pray for your priest or minister that the service would glorify the risen Christ. They would appreciate it.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 17, 2022 09:51 AM (VP4Hd)

88 Happy Easter everbody! And for the record.....
Yes I would wear those pants. I refuse to be shamed by this.

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at April 17, 2022 09:51 AM (Vxu+H)

89 Lately, business matters have been eating up my brain time to the extent that there's no "room" for either reading or writing. Hopefully things resolve in the next couple of weeks. Nothing catastrophic. Just one annoyance after another. Nibble, nibble.

F'rinstance, I stopped reading the Dante Project which I was enjoying so much. So, I hope the commentary remains online long enough for me to plow on through.

BONUS Whining! I suppose it wasn't the world's greatest idea to try to switch writing platforms (from Word to Scrivener) in the middle of a novel, so I may stop doing that. And go full Scrivener on the next one. Each has their own little quirks and switching magnifies that when all I really want is a black box that I can type into and it spits out nicely formatted chapters. Why won't reality confirm to my exact desires??? Stupid reality!

Posted by: naturalfake at April 17, 2022 09:51 AM (5NkmN)

90 MPPP
re WCRB, listening to them go downhill over the las couple of decades has been one of life's small dissapointments.

Posted by: From about that time at April 17, 2022 09:52 AM (4780s)

91 Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 09:43 AM (K5n5d)

Trilogy Tuesday was a high point in my Tolkien enjoyment. A movie marathon in the company of hundreds of fellow fans of The Professor.

Posted by: davidt at April 17, 2022 09:52 AM (ktgZC)

92 Started a book yesterday that took the Cleveland library system forever and a day to locate and retrieve (so much for being a repository of culture and don't get me started on the county shitpile) and already it's grabbed me. I became aware of it from a book by Anthony Burgess that naturalfake recommended, 99 Novels: The Best in English since 1939, which contains some off the wall choices all of which are worthwhile. This is from a collection called Strangers and Brothers and is the first one in narrative order, Time of Hope, although not the first one written, by C.P. Snow. It's set in a part of England off the beaten path, but not rural, after WW1 and is centered on a boy, Lewis Eliot, from a poor (his father declared bankruptcy early on) but somewhat respectable family, the women of which are horrified by the concept of bankruptcy compared to, say, Trump, and his attempts to carve out a place for himself in the world.

Since there's an overriding sense of things possibly turning to shit quickly, that has a certain appeal for me and the book has quickly grabbed me. I have a feeling I'll sporadically return to subsequent volumes as I read other stuff,

Posted by: Captain Hate won't forget Michael Byrd Murdered Ashli Babbitt at April 17, 2022 09:53 AM (y7DUB)

93 BONUS Whining! I suppose it wasn't the world's greatest idea to try to switch writing platforms (from Word to Scrivener) in the middle of a novel, so I may stop doing that. And go full Scrivener on the next one. Each has their own little quirks and switching magnifies that when all I really want is a black box that I can type into and it spits out nicely formatted chapters. Why won't reality confirm to my exact desires??? Stupid reality!

Posted by: naturalfake at April 17, 2022 09:51 AM (5NkmN)
---
I used to write using Open Office but Amazon likes Word, and so I'd do this shuffle of switching from the one to the other, which probably contributed to editing difficulties.

Now I use Word and the only real change is that I write using 8.5x11 pages so that I can do a hard copy edit easier and then switch it to book format.

It mostly works.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:54 AM (llXky)

94 And I recently learned that the writer of most of the Hardy Boys books was a woman.

I once had a co-worker whose dad was once Franklin W. Dixson but I don't know for which book.

Posted by: Oddbob at April 17, 2022 09:55 AM (nfrXX)

95 On the recommendation of folks on a previous thread I got copies of several David Macaulay books: Castle, Mill, and Cathedral.

These are supposed to be books for kids. My big white butt! He provides both cultural context and functional descriptions of the structures. And his pen and ink drawings are worth more than the price of the books. (They really are superb.) Young people with an interest in such matters would be entranced. So is this not so young (huge understatement) person.

Posted by: JTB at April 17, 2022 09:56 AM (7EjX1)

96 Continued

like I did with the Aubrey/Maturin books, which I think is a good comparison in appeal for a completely dissimilar series.

Anyone else read any of these?

Posted by: Captain Hate won't forget Michael Byrd Murdered Ashli Babbitt at April 17, 2022 09:56 AM (y7DUB)

97 It's de Cassaude not Cassandra. Darn autocorrect
------------------------------
Autocorrect never listens, Fen!

Posted by: andycanuck (UHVv4) at April 17, 2022 09:56 AM (UHVv4)

98 around 500 Union and 400 Confederate generals were killed.
That seems like a lot to me. Is it an unusual number in comparison to other wars?
Posted by: N.L. Urker, the Phillips screwdriver of the gods

It's astoundingly unusual compared to modern wars but in olden days generals led from the front. I suspect also that a cause of the excessive number of general casualties is the excessive number of generals. Awarding commissions was a method politicians used to curry political favor, often to the detriment of the army. The most obvious example is the creation of new regiments and other units thereby creating new officers rather than to send replacements to existing units. It was common by the middle years of the war for regiments to have dozens rather than hundreds of men.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 09:57 AM (FVME7)

99 Greetings:

RE: numero 64 above

I'm currently reading "Island Infernos" by John C. MaManus about WW II in the Pacific and the second volume in the author's yet unfinished trilogy.

These modern histories continue trouble me in two different ways. First would be the amount of infighting in the higher American ranks along with the jockeying for promotions or commands.

Second would be the now seemingly requisite breast-beating about the euphemisms our GIs used to identify their enemies and the American treatment of the Negroes of the day. Meanwhile, the Japanese, who thought lowly of pretty much all the other Asians, seem to get little depth of coverage in their treatment of Philippinos or Chamoros (Guamanians). I used to work with a couple of the latter and they had stories that don't seem to garner anywhere the caterwauling.

Posted by: 11B40 at April 17, 2022 09:57 AM (uuklp)

100 Happy Easter everbody! And for the record.....
Yes I would wear those pants. I refuse to be shamed by this.
Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench)

Happy Easter Madame !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 09:57 AM (arJlL)

101 Trilogy Tuesday was a high point in my Tolkien enjoyment. A movie marathon in the company of hundreds of fellow fans
Posted by: davidt

Went with 5 friends and took middle son (who didn't enjoy the number of hours), youngest son has never forgiven me for not taking him, he was 11 at the time.
Agree it was a great time.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 17, 2022 09:58 AM (yRBrE)

102 MPPP
re WCRB, listening to them go downhill over the las couple of decades has been one of life's small dissapointments.
Posted by: From about that time at April 17, 2022 09:52 AM (4780s)

**nods**

I remember the halcyon days of "WCRB Saturday Night," which was a late-evening program of all sorts of classical nonsense such as Peter Schickele and Anna Russell.* Now it's just endless repeats of the same damned Telemann and Dvorak pieces played to death.

*check out her How to Write Your Own Gilbert and Sullivan Opera:

https://tinyurl.com/53pr6naz

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:58 AM (2JVJo)

103 Likely it is, and the two reasons that immediately come to mind are the practice of leading from the front...

Isn't there a possibly apocryphal story about Lee's troops once refusing to engage until Lee agreed to relocate to the rear of the action?

Posted by: Oddbob at April 17, 2022 09:59 AM (nfrXX)

104 Perfessor,
You are doing a wonderful job with the book thread and it is very much appreciated. Thank you.

I like the squirrel and will continue to do so until our tomatoes are big enough to be plundered.

Posted by: JTB at April 17, 2022 09:59 AM (7EjX1)

105 Regarding all this author comment on software --

Key characters in "The Clocks" work for a typing business. Material comes in in longhand and goes out typewritten.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 17, 2022 10:00 AM (Om/di)

106 Can we talk about what we want to, now?

Posted by: Broken Apple at April 17, 2022 10:00 AM (2i0Lo)

107 Now I use Word and the only real change is that I write using 8.5x11 pages so that I can do a hard copy edit easier and then switch it to book format.

It mostly works.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:54 AM (llXky)

I use OO for the crap I try to write. One thing I don't like is I can't triple space the lines. Are you using the so called "free" online Word version, or buying it? I don't want to give MS any money or sign up for a "free" data mining account to use it.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 17, 2022 10:02 AM (7bRMQ)

108 Perfessor,
You are doing a wonderful job with the book thread and it is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Posted by: JTB

I also think the Perfessor is going excellent work with the Book Thread.
So, add my thanks.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 17, 2022 10:02 AM (yRBrE)

109 I had ordered The Professionals (the book the movie was based on) from some Goodwill place through Amazon, and they sent me a Nancy Drew book. (stop laughing; its NOT funny !)

Going through all the rigamarole to do the return, it was never once mentioned if they were gonna send me the book that I DID order !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 10:03 AM (arJlL)

110 10 I never realized how much time squirrels spend reading.
Posted by: JuJuBee at April 17, 2022 09:06 AM (mNhhD)

; )

Posted by: m at April 17, 2022 10:04 AM (CRS/E)

111 Can we talk about what we want to, now?
Posted by: Broken Apple

Are you Cochise's cousin ?

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 10:04 AM (arJlL)

112 Now I use Word and the only real change is that I write using 8.5x11 pages so that I can do a hard copy edit easier and then switch it to book format.

It mostly works.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 09:54 AM (llXky)
----
Just out of curiosity, what does "book format" mean in this context? You should be able to set up a Word template already configured to whatever Amazon requires, or at least a close approximation. Word is amazingly powerful, once you figure out how to use it to its full potential.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:04 AM (K5n5d)

113 Can we talk about what we want to, now?

Pretty sure most of us would prefer the thread to be current-event-free. But it's more of a guideline. Ignore guidelines at your own risk. The COBs can pretty much do what they want to.

Posted by: Oddbob at April 17, 2022 10:05 AM (nfrXX)

114 I have generally found that my problems attempting to write are not occasioned by the hardware nor the software but the wetware.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 10:05 AM (FVME7)

115 9 I know the Perfesser is going to be featuring my book soon, but this is a reminder that my new Theda Bara novel, The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of, is now out. Sarah Hoyt was kind enough to feature it in her own Sunday thread last week.

https://tinyurl.com/2p827y3t
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:05 AM (2JVJo)
----------

Congrats on your latest effort. Ordered and downloaded!

Happy Easter to the horde and a blessed Palm Sunday to those of the Orthodox faith.

Posted by: Hoplite Housewife at April 17, 2022 10:06 AM (mNMgp)

116 That's a fine library pic, very much my style just...not enough books

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards (Logan Tiberius 2012-2021) at April 17, 2022 10:06 AM (eeRB6)

117 Need to get ready for Sunday school and the Easter service.

Happy Easter to all!

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 17, 2022 10:07 AM (Om/di)

118 Word is amazingly powerful, once you figure out how to use it to its full potential.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:04 AM (K5n5d)

Word.

Posted by: Pork Chops & Bacons at April 17, 2022 10:08 AM (Qhnrt)

119 Field commanders were strong attractors for projectiles from rifled barrels.

Posted by: klaftern at April 17, 2022 10:08 AM (taPSh)

120 That's a fine library pic, very much my style just...not enough books
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards (Logan Tiberius 2012-2021) at April 17, 2022 10:06 AM (eeRB6)
---
Only about 25%-30% of my books are in this library. The remaining books are in my office, my dining area, and, of course, my living room.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:08 AM (K5n5d)

121 Word.

Posted by: Pork Chops & Bacons at April 17, 2022 10:08 AM (Qhnrt)

You're killing me here.

Posted by: WordPerfect at April 17, 2022 10:09 AM (7bRMQ)

122 Until the electronic communication age seems to me Generals had to lead from front more so got in line of fire often. Once phones were used my guess is that hazard was diminished.

Posted by: Skip at April 17, 2022 10:09 AM (2JoB8)

123 I just ordered your book, MP4! I got the paperback version. Gorgeous cover.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at April 17, 2022 10:10 AM (Dc2NZ)

124 I'm a fan of most of Sarah Hoyt's work, one of the few female authors I'm still willing to read.

My latest book(s) I'm working through are Jack Vance's Lyonesse....damn hard to find nowadays. I'm also reading Soldat by Sigfried Knappe, who was a German staff officer during WW2 and a Osprey book on the battle of Culloden.

Next week....I'd better have new books to report on. Stupid work and life....

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards (Logan Tiberius 2012-2021) at April 17, 2022 10:10 AM (eeRB6)

125 Started reading Stalin's War by Sean McMeekin a few weeks ago and it's getting dangerously close to being thrown against the wall since his narrative style drives me crazy in terms of not engaging me AT ALL compared to, say, Bloodlands which I ravenously consumed from cover to cover. Maybe he was used to lecturing those dicknoses at Bard College.

Posted by: Captain Hate won't forget Michael Byrd Murdered Ashli Babbitt at April 17, 2022 10:10 AM (y7DUB)

126 Happy Easter Book Horde!
Perfesser, thanks for the explanation of your process - thatsalotta werk and much appreciated!
Adding a horde category to your libib is smart!

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at April 17, 2022 10:10 AM (kf6Ak)

127 Only about 25%-30% of my books are in this library. The remaining books are in my office, my dining area, and, of course, my living room.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:08 AM (K5n5d)

This is the way

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards (Logan Tiberius 2012-2021) at April 17, 2022 10:10 AM (eeRB6)

128 Only about 25%-30% of my books are in this library. The remaining books are in my office, my dining area, and, of course, my living room.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:08 AM (K5n5d)
---

The true bibliophile also has shelves in the "throne room".

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at April 17, 2022 10:11 AM (Dc2NZ)

129 Great job, as per usual, Perf. Squirrel!

He is Risen!

In keeping with the day, I'd like recommend some apologetics:

"The Accidental Pharisee" by Larry Osborne

"The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel

and

"Jesus on Trial" by David Limbaugh.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at April 17, 2022 10:12 AM (5pTK/)

130 What am I doing this morning?

Reading comments on the Sunday Morning Book Thread.

What else do you do an Sunday AM?

Posted by: irongrampa at April 17, 2022 10:12 AM (KATBx)

131 I just ordered your book, MP4! I got the paperback version. Gorgeous cover.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at April 17, 2022 10:10 AM (Dc2NZ)

Thank you, Eris, and thank you everyone who has ordered the book. I hope you enjoy it!

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 10:13 AM (2JVJo)

132 Posted by: WordPerfect

Pfft. Get offa my lawn, kid.

Posted by: Wordstar at April 17, 2022 10:13 AM (nfrXX)

133 Semi book related. I discovered this week the YouTube channel The Late Late Horror Show. It contains old radio shows of horror shows, detective shows, westerns, etc. for free.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 10:13 AM (FVME7)

134 Reading "Trio," a comedy set in Brighton, on the coast S of London, the milieu being the making of a film. It's 1968. Very good. William Boyd. Also wrote the thriller, "Ordinary Thunderstorms."

Reminds me of "Shadows on the Wall," the 1995 novel by Ray Connelly, same milieu, different venue.

If you liked "The Producers," you'll love these

Posted by: Mr Gaga at April 17, 2022 10:14 AM (KiBMU)

135 A friend gave me "Never" by Ken Follet. Looking forward to reading it. He says the it is "Prescient."

Posted by: Chatterbox Mouse at April 17, 2022 10:14 AM (JVCkA)

136 The true bibliophile also has shelves in the "throne room".
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at April 17, 2022 10:11 AM (Dc2NZ)
---
I would, but the kitties have their own throne there right now...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:14 AM (K5n5d)

137 Pfft. Get offa my lawn, kid.

Posted by: Wordstar at April 17, 2022 10:13 AM (nfrXX)

You guys.

Posted by: Pen and Paper at April 17, 2022 10:15 AM (7bRMQ)

138 This is the fellow who created the Bara pic for my novel. He doesn't seem to have posted anything in five years:

https://tinyurl.com/yckzy5ny

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 10:15 AM (2JVJo)

139 Gosh, all of you fancy pants book shelves, libraries, etc.

Best way to sort books is two piles:

"Too Read" and "Read."

All else is just pretentious.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at April 17, 2022 10:15 AM (5pTK/)

140 Hiya irongrampa !

Happy Easter to you and yourn !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 10:15 AM (arJlL)

141 I just finished Sarah Hoyt's Odd Magics. Really excellent retellings of old fairy tales in modern settings. Quite recommended.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:16 AM (K5n5d)

142 I did once read "Risen." It was at the public library and the cover had this great blurb "Based on a Major Motion Picture."

Posted by: Chatterbox Mouse at April 17, 2022 10:16 AM (JVCkA)

143 Started reading Stalin's War by Sean McMeekin a few weeks ago and it's getting dangerously close to being thrown against the wall since his narrative style drives me crazy in terms of not engaging me AT ALL compared to, say, Bloodlands which I ravenously consumed from cover to cover. Maybe he was used to lecturing those dicknoses at Bard College.
Posted by: Captain Hate won't forget Michael Byrd Murdered Ashli Babbitt

LOL !

Glad to see you're feeling better !

Happy Easter !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 10:17 AM (arJlL)

144 Just out of curiosity, what does "book format" mean in this context? You should be able to set up a Word template already configured to whatever Amazon requires, or at least a close approximation. Word is amazingly powerful, once you figure out how to use it to its full potential.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:04 AM (K5n5d)
---
Amazon provides Word templates that match the size of your paperback, so once I've got a clean draft, I paste it into the template document and adjust it as needed (page breaks, etc) so that it will print correctly.

I then order a proof copy, and flip through it to ensure that everything looks correct.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 10:18 AM (llXky)

145 Happy Easter, JT!

Posted by: Captain Hate won't forget Michael Byrd Murdered Ashli Babbitt at April 17, 2022 10:18 AM (y7DUB)

146 Isn't there a possibly apocryphal story about Lee's troops once refusing to engage until Lee agreed to relocate to the rear of the action?

Posted by: Oddbob at April 17, 2022 09:59 AM (nfrXX)
---
I think it happened during the Overland Campaign of 1864. Lee brought up reinforcements, but they waved him back and wouldn't move until he withdrew from the danger area.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 10:19 AM (llXky)

147 OK, all, must update laptop and start cooking Sunday dinner.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 10:20 AM (2JVJo)

148 I paste it into the template document and adjust it as needed (page breaks, etc)
----------------------
No widows and orphans!

Posted by: andycanuck (UHVv4) at April 17, 2022 10:20 AM (UHVv4)

149 You're killing me here.
Posted by: WordPerfect at April 17, 2022 10:09 AM (7bRMQ)

Long ago and far away...

I used to love using Wordperfect for the Mac. It was about as close to a simple black box that you could type into and have spit out perfectly formatted prose.

But, then it went away. *sheds a single tear*

Posted by: naturalfake at April 17, 2022 10:22 AM (5NkmN)

150 Amazon provides Word templates that match the size of your paperback, so once I've got a clean draft, I paste it into the template document and adjust it as needed (page breaks, etc) so that it will print correctly.

I then order a proof copy, and flip through it to ensure that everything looks correct.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 10:18 AM (llXky)
---
Interesting. One thing I've noticed in recent months after reading several self-published books (or books printed via Amazon, at least) is the somewhat "creative" formatting that appear in the finished product....

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:22 AM (K5n5d)

151 Fantastic book thread, Perfessor Squirrel! And I'm not at all surprised at the amount of work and effort it takes to produce these excellent threads!

He is risen!

Posted by: Ladyl at April 17, 2022 10:22 AM (+4oV5)

152 Mentioned before in a chance search there are audio books on YouTube, no idea how many. Somehow audio books don't work for me, yet podcasts do so maybe it just needs to be right book.

Posted by: Skip at April 17, 2022 10:24 AM (2JoB8)

153 You're killing me here.
Posted by: WordPerfect at April 17, 2022 10:09 AM (7bRMQ)
---------------------
Would you like some help?

Posted by: Clippy at April 17, 2022 10:24 AM (UHVv4)

154 Yeah, Amazon makes it easy to use Word. And format it perfectly or very close.

Lousy formatting is generally laziness.

Unless it's intentional.

Posted by: naturalfake at April 17, 2022 10:25 AM (5NkmN)

155 Field commanders were strong attractors for projectiles from rifled barrels.
Posted by: klaftern at April 17, 2022 10:08 AM (taPSh)

Why, they couldn't hit an elephant at this dist....

Posted by: Maj Gen John Sedgwick at April 17, 2022 10:25 AM (4I/2K)

156 Would you like some help?
Posted by: Clippy at April 17, 2022 10:24 AM (UHVv4)
-------------

Go away or I'll sick vmom on you!

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at April 17, 2022 10:25 AM (5pTK/)

157 119 Field commanders were strong attractors for projectiles from rifled barrels.
Posted by: klaftern at April 17, 2022 10:08 AM (taPSh)

Still are, in some parts of the world.

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at April 17, 2022 10:25 AM (8C7+r)

158 20 My project this week is creating a book website.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 17, 2022 09:10 AM (2JVJo)

What are you thinking of using? Wix?

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at April 17, 2022 10:25 AM (kf6Ak)

159 I mourn the loss of WordPerfect as well. Reveal codes was your friend.

Posted by: Head puddi at April 17, 2022 10:26 AM (xMh1R)

160 121 Word.

Posted by: Pork Chops & Bacons at April 17, 2022 10:08 AM (Qhnrt)

You're killing me here.
Posted by: WordPerfect at April 17, 2022 10:09 AM (7bRMQ)

Being over 29, I remember changing font meant rummaging through a drawer of daisy wheel for the "word processor" machine.

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at April 17, 2022 10:26 AM (8C7+r)

161 You're killing me here.
Posted by: WordPerfect at April 17, 2022 10:09 AM (7bRMQ)
---------------------
Would you like some help?
Posted by: Clippy at April 17, 2022 10:24 AM (UHVv4)

You guys playing cards?

Posted by: Wang at April 17, 2022 10:26 AM (4I/2K)

162 Until the electronic communication age seems to me Generals had to lead from front more so got in line of fire often. Once phones were used my guess is that hazard was diminished.
Posted by: Skip

I don't remember whether it was Chancellorsville by Stephen Sears or Chancellorsville 1863: The Souls of the Brave by Ernest B. Furgurson but one of them assigned a portion of the blame for the breathtaking failure of the Army of the Potomac to the Union's use of modern but untried and untested communications systems which failed. I once read a syfy short story entitled something like Superiority that made the same point. Technological superiority in combat prevails only after the kinks have been worked out.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 10:27 AM (FVME7)

163
"Farmer Takes a Wife"
--columnist John Gould
from Christian Science Monitor.

FOL, 'Friends of Library'
has nearly unlimited selection,
rock-bottom pricing.

Posted by: zigzag at April 17, 2022 10:28 AM (J/yqm)

164 Well, time for Mass. Happy Easter, everyone!

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 17, 2022 10:28 AM (llXky)

165 Being over 29, I remember changing font meant rummaging through a drawer of daisy wheel for the "word processor" machine.
---------------------------------
You wrote memos for the TANG, Mike??

Posted by: andycanuck (UHVv4) at April 17, 2022 10:29 AM (UHVv4)

166 And I recently learned that the writer of most of the Hardy Boys books was a woman.
Posted by: Weak Geek
=====
I knew this as a kid, and it bothered me not a whit. As a matter of fact, there was not one iota of a consideration that I should be (a) aware of this fact and (b) as a young boy, bothered by it in any way.
Why have things changed so much.

Posted by: From about that time at April 17, 2022 10:29 AM (4780s)

167 Happy Easter, everyone.

Now to start our part of Easter dinner. May be back later tonite.

Posted by: irongrampa at April 17, 2022 10:29 AM (KATBx)

168 Another chilly, cloudy day. At least there's no wind.

Posted by: Pork Chops & Bacons at April 17, 2022 10:30 AM (Qhnrt)

169 You guys playing cards?
Posted by: Wang at April 17, 2022 10:26 AM (4I/2K)
--------------------------
You do not have a deck of cards.

Posted by: ZORK at April 17, 2022 10:31 AM (UHVv4)

170 Why is it that firms like Spectrum get their website designed by idiots?

Posted by: Vic at April 17, 2022 10:34 AM (mZwKe)

171 I format my books in Word - just using the various tools available. I have the various spacing for margins in various sizes of books worked out. The various tools are there, it just takes some pretty specific knowledge to use them. (Footnotes, indexing and TOC - now there's some fun!) Now and again I have considered buying one of the special suites for book design ... but it almost always comes down to making full use of that I already have.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at April 17, 2022 10:35 AM (xnmPy)

172 I did once read "Risen." It was at the public library and the cover had this great blurb "Based on a Major Motion Picture."
Posted by: Chatterbox Mouse

Mrs. Wrecks has the Okra channel on and a true crime show playing. This episode is about murder destroying a gay marriage. It began with a blurb about the ending of the relationship of these two wealthy, socially prominent men's fairytale romance. Yeah, I thought, it's a fairy tale alright.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 10:35 AM (FVME7)

173 .f 3
You're killing me here.
Posted by: WordPerfect
.f 1
I don't get it.

Posted by: troff at April 17, 2022 10:35 AM (nfrXX)

174 Why is it that firms like Spectrum get their website designed by idiots?
Posted by: Vic at April 17, 2022 10:34 AM (mZwKe)
---------------

Yeah, those guys really need to get their act together!

Posted by: suddenlink at April 17, 2022 10:35 AM (5pTK/)

175 FIRST!!!!!

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 10:36 AM (Zz0t1)

176 HAPPY EASTER!!!!

HE IS RISEN!!!!

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 10:37 AM (Zz0t1)

177 My first experience with a word processor was a program called "Word Juggler" for the Apple IIe. Very primitive. You had to use markup to indicate underlining, italics, bold, etc. You also had to define the parameters such as margins at the beginning of each document. You could save these at templates, though. And we had a dot-matrix printer for output.

I remember writing my high school papers using Word Juggler and a dot-matrix printer...Good times, good times...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:38 AM (K5n5d)

178 undo

Posted by: Dr. Varno at April 17, 2022 10:38 AM (vuisn)

179 yes the events in Never hinge on events occurring in West Africa, Chad Guinea Bisseau and the East Sudan, the later is Chinese territory, the former is the US stake, the American president a liberal republican from Chicago, has to balance the consequences of an intervention that begins in the East and ventures dangerously out of control,

Posted by: no 6 at April 17, 2022 10:38 AM (hMlTh)

180 These days the vast majority of our 'library' is on our Kindles. Once had bookcases in almost every room (kitchen and bathroom were too small for them to be a good fit). The local libraries and second-hand shops and a few specialty sf and mystery dealers got most of the print copies. A picture of our library back in the day would have meant pictures of most of the house -- when we moved here we shipped more than 100 cartons of books. We're now down to three bookcases, and could trim to one if we went full ebook on everything. But I think a place without multiple bookcases is probably against the laws of God somehow...

Posted by: Just Some Guy at April 17, 2022 10:39 AM (JzDjf)

181 174 Yeah, those guys really need to get their act together!

Posted by: suddenlink at April 17, 2022 10:35 AM (5pTK/)

I wound up having to call them up on the phone and talk to a real live person just to pay my bill.

Posted by: Vic at April 17, 2022 10:39 AM (mZwKe)

182 undo

Posted by: Dr. Varno at April 17, 2022 10:38 AM (vuisn)

Yeah, I've been trying that option for the last year plus. It doesn't seem to work, Joe's still here.

Posted by: Time at April 17, 2022 10:40 AM (7bRMQ)

183 Why is it that firms like Spectrum get their website designed by idiots?
Posted by: Vic

I had to update my credit card because it had expired and Spectrum seemingly made it as difficult as possible.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 10:41 AM (FVME7)

184
I remember writing my high school papers using Word Juggler and a dot-matrix printer...Good times, good times...
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:38 AM (K5n5d)

I had a thermal printer and would turn in my papers as scrolls they'd have to unroll to read.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 10:41 AM (Zz0t1)

185 180 These days the vast majority of our 'library' is on our Kindles. Once had bookcases in almost every room (kitchen and bathroom were too small for them to be a good fit). The local libraries and second-hand shops and a few specialty sf and mystery dealers got most of the print copies. A picture of our library back in the day would have meant pictures of most of the house -- when we moved here we shipped more than 100 cartons of books. We're now down to three bookcases, and could trim to one if we went full ebook on everything. But I think a place without multiple bookcases is probably against the laws of God somehow...

Posted by: Just Some Guy at April 17, 2022 10:39 AM (JzDjf)

I used to have 5 bookcases full of books, both hard back and paperback. Now I have 1 bookcase for books and 1 for movies. My ex got all the rest and half of my movies.

Posted by: Vic at April 17, 2022 10:42 AM (mZwKe)

186 I wound up having to call them up on the phone and talk to a real live person just to pay my bill.
Posted by: Vic at April 17, 2022 10:39 AM (mZwKe)
--------------

At least you were able to talk to a real person.

Some of these outfits, their "automated" phone system seems purposely designed to abuse customers.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at April 17, 2022 10:42 AM (5pTK/)

187 165 Being over 29, I remember changing font meant rummaging through a drawer of daisy wheel for the "word processor" machine.
---------------------------------
You wrote memos for the TANG, Mike??
Posted by: andycanuck (UHVv4) at April 17, 2022 10:29 AM (UHVv4)

Naw. This was my 7th ID era. Dedicated word processor machines. Typewriters that had large block letters in all cap for making overhead slides. Harvard Graphics for cheesy charts. Print to overhead slide sheets, then mount them. Work in a battalion 3 shop at the time.

Made the mistake of being helpful to an LT struggling with the word processor.

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at April 17, 2022 10:43 AM (8C7+r)

188 Was thinking of getting "Never" from the library until I read that the (presumably liberal) president was "...beleaguered by a populist rival for the next president election."

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at April 17, 2022 10:43 AM (Dc2NZ)

189 186 At least you were able to talk to a real person.

Some of these outfits, their "automated" phone system seems purposely designed to abuse customers.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at April 17, 2022 10:42 AM (5pTK/)

I got a computer driven bot when I first called and finally I was able to get a real person.

Posted by: Vic at April 17, 2022 10:44 AM (mZwKe)

190
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 10:27 AM (FVME7)
------
Haven't read Furgurson, but it's definitely discussed in Sears. The Army wasn't terribly happy with the U. S. Military Telegraph (which, despite its name, was a civilian organization), so they seized upon this new communication device which didn't require the operator to learn Morse. It had a circular dial with letters and numbers and all the operator had to do was move a pointer around the dial and the pointer on the receiving end would replicate the motion. The big problems with it were that it only had a range of about five miles and the it could get out of sync pretty easily so that it would start transmitting gibberish.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 17, 2022 10:44 AM (ARs9M)

191 Greetings:

A&M Vari-typer, anyone ???

Posted by: 11B40 at April 17, 2022 10:44 AM (uuklp)

192 171 I format my books in Word - just using the various tools available. I have the various spacing for margins in various sizes of books worked out. The various tools are there, it just takes some pretty specific knowledge to use them. (Footnotes, indexing and TOC - now there's some fun!) Now and again I have considered buying one of the special suites for book design ... but it almost always comes down to making full use of that I already have.
Posted by: Sgt. Mom at April 17, 2022 10:35 AM (xnmPy)

My wife tried to do one of here Thesis in WP back in the day. Maybe 1990 or so. Gave up and paid someone a $1k to put it in right format.

Also TWU required to be printed and I think it was about 20 copies.

Damn it is still there

The current skills required by occupational therapists to perform in the acute care hospital

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:44 AM (yrol0)

193 Can dimly remember WordStar from computer classes. Worked with WordPerfect a bit and MS Word and one on the Apple IIC the name of which I no longer recall. When I started working in IT, the PC lab machines were 360K dual floppy systems -- installing hard drives in those was a big deal. Seagate drives if memory serves, 20 megs, costing what you'd pay for a full computer these days. Ah, progress...

Posted by: Just Some Guy at April 17, 2022 10:45 AM (JzDjf)

194 #44--Serendipity reigns--Currently reading MacArthur At War, Walter A Bornerman. About 1/2 way through.
Don't think MacA was a very nice person, so far. Pretty self involved, in my somewhat limited opinion. Don't think the author liked him, either, but time will tell.

Posted by: Semilitterate at April 17, 2022 10:45 AM (EavHp)

195 Of topic:

Anybody here a fricking genius on finding car parts? I need the diff clutch pack for a 2011 Ram with 9.25 Inch Trac Lock??

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:46 AM (yrol0)

196 I finished G.K. Chesterton’s The Everlasting Man this week. Brilliant, as is much of Chesterton’s books, but much less meandering. Which is odd, as it pretty much covers all of non-recorded history.

He compares two existential changes in the story of man: the creation of man, and the birth and death of Jesus.

While not arguing against evolution, he does argue persuasively that most evolutionists vastly downplay the difference between man and animal, even, and especially, prehistoric man and animal.

…he had dug very deep and found the place where a man had drawn a picture of a reindeer. But he would dig a good deal deeper before he found a place where a reindeer had drawn a picture of a man… Something happened; and it has all the appearance of a transaction outside time.

[continued]

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at April 17, 2022 10:46 AM (U+Oxn)

197 More Than 1 Million Covid Vaccine Injuries, Nearly 27,000 Deaths Reported to VAERS, CDC Data Show

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:47 AM (yrol0)

198 WordPerfect was crap. It reminded me of anything engineered by Germany. Over engineered to the point to make literally everything an impossible task.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 10:47 AM (Zz0t1)

199 Made the mistake of being helpful to an LT struggling with the word processor.
-----------------
LOL.

Posted by: andycanuck (UHVv4) at April 17, 2022 10:47 AM (UHVv4)

200 it could get out of sync pretty easily so that it would start transmitting gibberish.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea

Out of sync aka gone Biden.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 10:48 AM (FVME7)

201 199 Made the mistake of being helpful to an LT struggling with the word processor.
-----------------
LOL.
Posted by: andycanuck (UHVv4) at April 17, 2022 10:47 AM (UHVv4)

You became the company pool typist??

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:48 AM (yrol0)

202 Wordstar was my first text program. But when our work site went to MS Word I had to switch to that. Took me months to learn that MS POS.

Posted by: Vic at April 17, 2022 10:48 AM (mZwKe)

203 Anybody here a fricking genius on finding car parts? I need the diff clutch pack for a 2011 Ram with 9.25 Inch Trac Lock??
Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:46 AM (yrol0)
------------

Have you tried autozone? Put in the VIN and it should set the site up so it searches based on your truck model.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at April 17, 2022 10:48 AM (5pTK/)

204
Anybody here a fricking genius on finding car parts? I need the diff clutch pack for a 2011 Ram with 9.25 Inch Trac Lock??
Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:46 AM (yrol0)

This?

https://is.gd/mwdsW5

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 10:49 AM (Zz0t1)

205 [The Everlasting Man] continued…

He argues that the ideas of Christianity are not a natural evolution of religion. They were as out of place at the founding as they are now.

Any agnostic or atheist whose childhood has known a real Christmas has ever afterwards, whether he likes it or not, an association in his mind between two ideas that most of mankind must regard as remote from each other; the idea of a baby and the idea of unknown strength that sustains the stars… It is no more inevitable to connect God with an infant than to connect gravitation with a kitten… There is really a difference between the man who knows it and the man who does not.

He also does not discount the idea of supernatural evil as a real thing, or at least a thing that people believed was more real than their other mythologies. Though “Whether it be because the Fall has really brought men nearer to less desirable neighbours in the spiritual world, or whether it is merely that the mood of men eager or greedy finds it easier to imagine evil” he doesn’t know.

For clothes are very literally vestments, and man wears them because he is a priest.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at April 17, 2022 10:49 AM (U+Oxn)

206 WordPerfect was crap. It reminded me of anything engineered by Germany. Over engineered to the point to make literally everything an impossible task.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 10:47 AM (Zz0t1)
---
A professor where I work refused to convert from WordPerfect to Word when the rest of campus was converted. His defense was that only WordPerfect could make "true" circles on the projector screen (he taught physics and needed "true" circles).

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:50 AM (K5n5d)

207 Randy Pemberton has passed away.

He was a staple on TV and was a true talent in every role he held.

Inside Winston Cup Racing was his show in 90s.

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:50 AM (yrol0)

208 Why is it that firms like Spectrum get their website designed by idiots?
Posted by: Vic at April 17, 2022 10:34 AM (mZwKe)

The same people who fill my mailbox with junk which has never received a positive response? Fuck those guys in particular.

Posted by: Captain Hate won't forget Michael Byrd Murdered Ashli Babbitt at April 17, 2022 10:50 AM (y7DUB)

209 208 Why is it that firms like Spectrum get their website designed by idiots?
Posted by: Vic at April 17, 2022 10:34 AM (mZwKe)

The same people who fill my mailbox with junk which has never received a positive response? Fuck those guys in particular.
Posted by: Captain Hate won't forget Michael Byrd Murdered Ashli Babbitt at April 17, 2022 10:50 AM (y7DUB)

I was on a really bad site the other day. Maybe my nat gas supplier took about 7 pages to pay the bill.

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:52 AM (yrol0)

210 Reading Never at Rest by Westfall, a biography of Isaac Newton. The book is quite comprehensive, and not a casual biography. It has technical sections and literally thousands of references. I have been skip-reading, and the information is fascinating. I had no idea that Newton in the Principia, as a matter of principle, used geometry and not the calculus.

Posted by: EdmundBurkesShade at April 17, 2022 10:53 AM (mCh4j)

211 WordPerfect was crap. It reminded me of anything engineered by Germany. Over engineered to the point to make literally everything an impossible task.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 10:47 AM (Zz0t1)
---
A professor where I work refused to convert from WordPerfect to Word when the rest of campus was converted. His defense was that only WordPerfect could make "true" circles on the projector screen (he taught physics and needed "true" circles).
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:50 AM (K5n5d)
-------
I liked WordPerfect back in the day (90s) because if your formatting went wonky, you could have it display the formatting tags and figure out how to fix it.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 17, 2022 10:54 AM (ARs9M)

212 Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at April 17, 2022 10:49 AM (U+Oxn)

Peterson has for many years warned of real evil or malevolent people.

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:54 AM (yrol0)

213 Randy Pemberton has passed away.

He was a staple on TV and was a true talent in every role he held.

Inside Winston Cup Racing was his show in 90s.
Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:50 AM (yrol0)

His brother is one of the reasons I stopped paying attention to NASCAR. Spent all the time and money to get to Indy for The Brickyard race back in 2008 just to witness the worst race in world history and that fuck tells me I should be PROUD of what I just saw because those drivers risked their lives to put on a show.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 10:54 AM (Zz0t1)

214 Why is it that firms like Spectrum get their website designed by idiots?

Not idiots. They’re specifically designed to obscure rather than illuminate. Spectrum is a de facto monopoly in many, if not most, of the communities they’re in, due to local contacts. This frees them up to spend more time than is normal screwing over their customers.

That’s why they can hide basic service so that people just give up and go with bundles they neither want nor need, and why they hide known outages, something even ONCOR here in Texas doesn’t do.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at April 17, 2022 10:55 AM (U+Oxn)

215 Blessed Holy Day to all ...

Posted by: Adriane the Critic ... at April 17, 2022 10:55 AM (okV1R)

216 I liked WordPerfect back in the day (90s) because if your formatting went wonky, you could have it display the formatting tags and figure out how to fix it.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 17, 2022 10:54 AM (ARs9M)

It is still in Word: Show All

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:55 AM (yrol0)

217 94 "I once had a co-worker whose dad was once Franklin W. Dixson but I don't know for which book."

Would that have been the son of Charles Leslie McFarlane? He was the first "Franklin W. Dixon." He used to frequent the weekly "Writer's Lunch" at the Plaza Restaurant in Sarasota, Florida, along with other denizens such as John D. MacDonald, Mackinlay Kantor, Carl Carmer, and Borden Deal.

Posted by: Brett at April 17, 2022 10:56 AM (Sm9Ko)

218 His brother is one of the reasons I stopped paying attention to NASCAR. Spent all the time and money to get to Indy for The Brickyard race back in 2008 just to witness the worst race in world history and that fuck tells me I should be PROUD of what I just saw because those drivers risked their lives to put on a show.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 10:54 AM (Zz0t1)

Is that the day to top 10 leader hit the wall with blown tires?

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:56 AM (yrol0)

219 I'm re-reading Pressfield's Tides of Wars which tells of the Peloponnesian War and Alcibiades. Last time I read it was probably 10 years ago. I like it almost as much as Gates of Fire. I can't believe though Pressfield's last couple of novels have been some woke crap even though he is still a great writer and easy read.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at April 17, 2022 10:57 AM (PCUPG)

220
Thanks for the book thread Mr. Squirrel.

Just started MP4s new book....couple chapters in....good so far.... will leave a review on Amazon and the book thread when finished...

Posted by: Some Guy in Wisconsin at April 17, 2022 10:57 AM (zG9TM)

221 It is still in Word: Show All
Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:55 AM (yrol0)
-------
Where is it? Word has so much crap these days that it's difficult to find your way around it.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 17, 2022 10:57 AM (ARs9M)

222 Howdy, bookies.

My annual blurb for a seven-(web)page comic I did back in 2014: Easter week, as if reported by the media as we know it (hence, sorta steampunk). Not always scripture-adherent, but respectful.

Jerusalem Report
Reporting on miraculous events one week in Jerusalem

linked in nic

Posted by: mindful webworker - this nic at April 17, 2022 10:58 AM (60d+e)

223 I liked WordPerfect back in the day (90s) because if your formatting went wonky, you could have it display the formatting tags and figure out how to fix it.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 17, 2022 10:54 AM (ARs9M)

It is still in Word: Show All
Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:55 AM (yrol0)

Help a moron out. Where does one find Show All in Word? I miss that WordPerfect feature.

Posted by: Count de Monet at April 17, 2022 10:59 AM (4I/2K)

224
Is that the day to top 10 leader hit the wall with blown tires?
Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 10:56 AM (yrol0)

Indy diamond cut the track 8 months prior, NASCAR KNEW it, yet brought shit tires that didn't last 2 laps. If you didn't pass in those 2 laps, you were just holding on. They ended up doing competition cautions every 16 laps throughout and Jimmie Johnson won going wire to wire. Fans were PISSED.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 10:59 AM (Zz0t1)

225 Hi all! back from Colorado! had a FABULOUS trip really loved it. kid loved all four schools (but has two top choices)

great skiing and no one got injured

I love the not-friendly-but-friendly-kind-of Coloradoans (?) we met tho. I guess .. gruff would be the word? They seemed confused when we said we were from Philly instead of Cali or Texas ha ha

Posted by: Black Orchid at April 17, 2022 10:59 AM (j9HX3)

226 Peterson has for many years warned of real evil or malevolent people.

Yes. Chesterton was specifically talking about the probability of real supernatural evil. But the natural next step from denying real evil outside of man is denying that evil men can exist. Believing that everyone is good as long as you give then enough ~~hugs~~chances.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at April 17, 2022 10:59 AM (U+Oxn)

227 I yam reading a biography of the great Hank Williams.

Posted by: leber at April 17, 2022 10:59 AM (+1FnZ)

228 Later, my literary taters.

Happy Easter!

And thanks for another great Book Thread, Perfessor!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at April 17, 2022 11:00 AM (Dc2NZ)

229 . I can't believe though Pressfield's last couple of novels have been some woke crap even though he is still a great writer and easy read.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at April 17, 2022 10:57 AM (PCUPG)
--------
He's written at least one good book on how to write professionally, so there's that.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 17, 2022 11:00 AM (ARs9M)

230 oh and a belated Happy Passover and an on-time Happy Easter!

I'm jet lagged and wiped out today lol

Posted by: Black Orchid at April 17, 2022 11:00 AM (j9HX3)

231 157 119 Field commanders were strong attractors for projectiles from rifled barrels.
Posted by: klaftern at April 17, 2022 10:08 AM (taPSh)

Still are, in some parts of the world.

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at April 17, 2022 10:25 AM (8C7+r)

Just keep your RTO at a distance.

Posted by: Javems at April 17, 2022 11:00 AM (AmoqO)

232 I had no idea that Newton in the Principia, as a matter of principle, used geometry and not the calculus.
-----------------------
He hadn't stolen the idea yet from Leibniz!

Posted by: andycanuck (UHVv4) at April 17, 2022 11:00 AM (UHVv4)

233 @sponge, what is "cut the track?"

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at April 17, 2022 11:01 AM (5pTK/)

234 Happy Easter everyone.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at April 17, 2022 11:01 AM (dNqv+)

235
I love the not-friendly-but-friendly-kind-of Coloradoans (?) we met tho. I guess .. gruff would be the word? They seemed confused when we said we were from Philly instead of Cali or Texas ha ha
Posted by: Black Orchid at April 17, 2022 10:59 AM (j9HX3)

My disappointment with Colorado is that they've made the entire states identity about pot. It was moderately depressing. A state that has sooo much beauty to offer, HAVE SOME WEED!!!!!

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:01 AM (Zz0t1)

236 Would that have been the son of Charles Leslie McFarlane?

It was a long time ago, before the dot-com bust, but McFarlane doesn't ring a bell, so probably not.

Posted by: troff at April 17, 2022 11:01 AM (nfrXX)

237 .sock 0

Posted by: Oddbob at April 17, 2022 11:02 AM (nfrXX)

238 Happy Easter all.

Finished Dante's Comedy last night with a monster assist from the companion video commentaries organized by Baylor University. Absolutely fantastic.

Posted by: Tonypete at April 17, 2022 11:02 AM (e1mwr)

239 @sponge, what is "cut the track?"
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at April 17, 2022 11:01 AM (5pTK/)

They modify the surface by running blades on it to cut small grooves in it to provide better traction.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:02 AM (Zz0t1)

240 They modify the surface by running blades on it to cut small grooves in it to provide better traction.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:02 AM (Zz0t1)
---------------

Ah, and the wrong tires aren't going to play well with those grooves. Got it, Thanks!

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at April 17, 2022 11:04 AM (5pTK/)

241 Well, time to walk the dog, and get ready to head to church.

He is Risen!

Later!

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at April 17, 2022 11:04 AM (5pTK/)

242 My disappointment with Colorado is that they've made the entire states identity about pot. It was moderately depressing. A state that has sooo much beauty to offer, HAVE SOME WEED!!!!!
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:01 AM (Zz0t1)

And the MSM suppressed the consequences related to it though the reports of increased homelessness and crime couldn't help to leak out. Other states legalizing recreational weed helped Colorado failing completely.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at April 17, 2022 11:05 AM (PCUPG)

243 I have made my case to the youts I work with that our generation (the '29ers') has been of the most 'adjustment-friendly' generation, ever (I think 2 generations before us might be top of that list).

When I hit the workforce, IBM Selectrics were the standard (almost all my college papers were hand-written; a few were typed). At the end of my first ten years in the Navy, I visited Blue Ridge (7th Fleet flagship), and they had onboard FIVE separate incompatible computer systems. And on and on. I can't count how many completely different systems we have had to learn, forget 'upgrades.'

Posted by: goatexchange at April 17, 2022 11:05 AM (APPN8)

244
Ah, and the wrong tires aren't going to play well with those grooves. Got it, Thanks!
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at April 17, 2022 11:04 AM (5pTK/)

We were fortunate enough to get some pit passes during practice days. I have pictures of all the rubber that was building up below the rear spoiler in the short runs they were making. We didn't understand what it was till the cluster that was race day.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:05 AM (Zz0t1)

245 Where is it? Word has so much crap these days that it's difficult to find your way around it.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 17, 2022 10:57 AM (ARs9M)

View
Show All

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 11:06 AM (yrol0)

246 My disappointment with Colorado is that they've made the entire states identity about pot. It was moderately depressing. A state that has sooo much beauty to offer, HAVE SOME WEED!!!!!

it's a little sad but nowhere near as bad as Philly

Posted by: Black Orchid at April 17, 2022 11:06 AM (j9HX3)

247 From failing....

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at April 17, 2022 11:06 AM (PCUPG)

248
And the MSM suppressed the consequences related to it though the reports of increased homelessness and crime couldn't help to leak out. Other states legalizing recreational weed helped Colorado failing completely.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at April 17, 2022 11:05 AM (PCUPG)

Pueblo is the hub for THC. They've managed to extract it and have something like 98% THC which they're finding is melting people's brains at high rates, but it's not regulated and people are stupid, so FULL STEAM AHEAD!!!

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:07 AM (Zz0t1)

249 Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 11:06 AM (yrol0)
-------
Thanks!

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 17, 2022 11:09 AM (ARs9M)

250
When I hit the workforce, IBM Selectrics were the standard (almost all my college papers were hand-written; a few were typed). At the end of my first ten years in the Navy, I visited Blue Ridge (7th Fleet flagship), and they had onboard FIVE separate incompatible computer systems. And on and on. I can't count how many completely different systems we have had to learn, forget 'upgrades.'
Posted by: goatexchange at April 17, 2022 11:05 AM (APPN8

Remember the ball? You could type way faster than it, but when you made a mistake, it was so far behind, you had to backspace 20 times and make the correction, IF it had the white-out ribbon option.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:09 AM (Zz0t1)

251 it's a little sad but nowhere near as bad as Philly
Posted by: Black Orchid at April 17, 2022 11:06 AM (j9HX3)
-------
Or Portland.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 17, 2022 11:09 AM (ARs9M)

252
it's a little sad but nowhere near as bad as Philly
Posted by: Black Orchid at April 17, 2022 11:06 AM (j9HX3)

I can only imagine. I haven't been to Philly in quite some time. No desire to go back.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:10 AM (Zz0t1)

253 I'm still using Word 67. Peace, brothers and sisters.

Posted by: The Easter Hippie at April 17, 2022 11:11 AM (vrz2I)

254 I'm still using Word 67. Peace, brothers and sisters.
Posted by: The Easter Hippie at April 17, 2022 11:11 AM (vrz2I)

In Times New Roman?

- - Dan Rather

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:11 AM (Zz0t1)

255 My disappointment with Colorado is that they've made the entire states identity about pot. It was moderately depressing. A state that has sooo much beauty to offer, HAVE SOME WEED!!!!!

it's a little sad but nowhere near as bad as Philly

Posted by: Black Orchid at April 17, 2022 11:06 AM (j9HX3)

Hey! We don't rely on just one thing! We have Weed AND Murder!

Posted by: Killadelphia at April 17, 2022 11:13 AM (7bRMQ)

256 > Pueblo is the hub for THC. They've managed to extract it and have something like 98% THC...
_____________

Seriously? And putting it on the street? The most potent gummies I've seen for OTC sale are a fraction of 1%.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 17, 2022 11:14 AM (BFigT)

257 _____________

Seriously? And putting it on the street? The most potent gummies I've seen for OTC sale are a fraction of 1%.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 17, 2022 11:14 AM (BFigT)

They're creating zombies.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:16 AM (Zz0t1)

258 The other book I finished this week is The House of Doors by Brian Lumley. Aliens attempt to perform an experiment on human subjects to determine if humanity is "worthy" by exposing the humans to their darkest fears. However, things ago a bit awry when the alien performing the experiment goes "off book."

Just started the sequel, Maze of Worlds. The alien antagonist who was thwarted in the first book is now back for revenge!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 11:16 AM (K5n5d)

259 We were fortunate enough to get some pit passes during practice days. I have pictures of all the rubber that was building up below the rear spoiler in the short runs they were making. We didn't understand what it was till the cluster that was race day.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:05 AM (Zz0t1)

You've basically got 2 types of tires...long life/lousy grip...short life/great grip. The trick is getting the rubber chemistry right for a happy medium.

Posted by: BignJames at April 17, 2022 11:17 AM (AwYPR)

260 Pueblo is the hub for THC.

To get your free sample, write to Post Office Box 420, Pueblo, Colorado, 81009. SASE required.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at April 17, 2022 11:17 AM (U+Oxn)

261 I still haven't finished JJ Sefton's book, but that's not because it's a hard read or anything. It's fucking depressing to read the day by day account on how we got fucked and this country died a horrible death.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:18 AM (Zz0t1)

262 I've been thinking about getting The Wheel of Time series. Unfortunately the seller reviews on Amazon seem sketchy and you get random prints of the books, some used and they don't always come all at once. Oh and one set from Amazon a reviewer compared it to his hardback and they changed the opening to match the awful show.

Posted by: Buzzion at April 17, 2022 11:18 AM (OSvjG)

263 I don't like the stench of dope. I don't like the gov't getting into the dope business. I guess they're using it to keep the people docile. Get people hooked on dope, they get free money, they forget about voting. Sports being extending and adding more teams just to keep people distracted. Next thing you know, pron will be gov't subsidized and on broadcast.

Hey, where are you guys going?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 17, 2022 11:19 AM (7bRMQ)

264
You've basically got 2 types of tires...long life/lousy grip...short life/great grip. The trick is getting the rubber chemistry right for a happy medium.
Posted by: BignJames at April 17, 2022 11:17 AM (AwYPR)

NASCAR needs to get OUT OF THE WAY and let the tire companies (in this case, GoodYear) make a tire. They dictate how long they want the tires to last and what grip. They could make a tire that performs well, but can't because of the stupid guidelines set. I mean, F1 can run an entire race on one set of tires, if they want.

But not FormulaE. You have to CHANGE CARS in the middle of a race.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:20 AM (Zz0t1)

265
To get your free sample, write to Post Office Box 420, Pueblo, Colorado, 81009. SASE required.
Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at April 17, 2022 11:17 AM (U+Oxn)

LOL! Yes.....

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:21 AM (Zz0t1)

266 258 The other book I finished this week is The House of Doors by Brian Lumley. Aliens attempt to perform an experiment on human subjects to determine if humanity is "worthy" by exposing the humans to their darkest fears. However, things ago a bit awry when the alien performing the experiment goes "off book."
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 11:16 AM (K5n5d)

I thought making people confront their darkest fears, or darkest behaviors, was my job. Thank God for Aliens.

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 11:21 AM (ONvIw)

267 I tried to post this last week-- spent a lot of time on it. And for all my trouble & care?

"Sorry. Your post looks like spam. If it's not spam, try again later."

What a great way to drive away regular posters on the Book Thread!

So, I'm going to do a condensed version in snippets.

This was Snippet #1.

Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 11:22 AM (NLIak)

268 I've been thinking about getting The Wheel of Time series.

It's like purchasing a set of encyclopedias.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at April 17, 2022 11:24 AM (KFhLj)

269 I've been thinking about getting The Wheel of Time series. Unfortunately the seller reviews on Amazon seem sketchy and you get random prints of the books, some used and they don't always come all at once. Oh and one set from Amazon a reviewer compared it to his hardback and they changed the opening to match the awful show.
Posted by: Buzzion at April 17, 2022 11:18 AM (OSvjG)
---
I'd heard that the most recent editions had been changed. That's just a travesty. The original opening prologue to The Eye of the World is one of the greatest in all of fantasy literature. If you can, try to find earlier prints of the series (before 2021).

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 11:24 AM (K5n5d)

270 Dropping in before I get ready for church to say Happy Easter, and thank you for the recommendations last week.

For those who enjoy fairy tales, I recommend Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy, which is set in medieval Russia and is steeped in Russian folklore. There's a bit of feminist undercurrent in that the central character is an unconventional female, but that hasn't detracted from my enjoyment. Arden's writing is really beautiful, and heavy on description, but not in such a way as to slow down the story. The first book is The Bear and the Nightingale. I've read the first 2 books, just haven't had the attention span to pick up the 3rd book since J died.

Love and hugs to all the Horde

Posted by: screaming in digital at April 17, 2022 11:24 AM (kTRt4)

271
This was Snippet #1.

Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 11:22 AM (NLIak)

Too many carriage returns. Limit the amount of spaces between paragraphs and the number of paragraphs. It's a necessary evil implemented because of trolls spamming the blog.

And TJM copy/pasting the entire thread.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:25 AM (Zz0t1)

272 My disappointment with Colorado is that they've made the entire states identity about pot. It was moderately depressing. A state that has sooo much beauty to offer, HAVE SOME WEED!!!!!
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:01 AM (Zz0t1)

They are also known for their gay wedding cake.

Posted by: Roy at April 17, 2022 11:26 AM (Ti+Tv)

273 Oh, and feel free to embrace the Hogmartin created Quote UnF*cker.

https://stoatnet.org/ace/

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:26 AM (Zz0t1)

274 I looked about and found the Midsomer Murders episode that was about a psychiatrist using a patient's entire life for a book. It was illuminating, but not for the idea that the shrink endangered the person by betraying the confidence, but because the patient wanted to use their own life in their "fiction". The dumb doctor used the patient's real first name (he was using an alias in life), and he described actual rooms and scenes that made his "fiction" obvious fact to the patient.

I had no grief for the doctor/author, and it didn't help that the actor who played him, normally plays shits of the first water, so to speak.

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 11:27 AM (ONvIw)

275
They are also known for their gay wedding cake.
Posted by: Roy at April 17, 2022 11:26 AM (Ti+Tv)

More like, destroying your life if you won't bake one.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:27 AM (Zz0t1)

276 267 cont:

Snippet #2

Terrible, misleading title for an interesting non-fiction book: "Murder By Candlelight," by Michael Knox Beran.

The writer posits that in any era, the murders that captivate the interest of both the general public AND Famous Persons* tell us a lot about the particular time & place. Why THESE particular murders among so many?

*De Quincey; Carlyle; Schopenhauer, einer alia

Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 11:28 AM (NLIak)

277 Oh, and feel free to embrace the Hogmartin created Quote UnF*cker.

Posted by: Sponge

Hogmartin is the Man! But I have to tell you, I get an uneasy feeling every morning using an "UnF*cker" tool to format my Saint of the Day information. LOL

Attribute it to the duality of man

or something.

Posted by: Tonypete at April 17, 2022 11:29 AM (e1mwr)

278 NASCAR teams are already suggesting Goodyear look at new tire formulas for the Next Gen cars they're running. The Martinsville race last week was the lowest rated and least watched race this year. No passing. The drivers say the right sides are not wearing out and the diffuser under the rear of the cars is causing the cars following to be unable to get a run... too much dirty air.

Which is the exact opposite of what NASCAR said those diffusers would do.

Tonight's dirt race at Bristol should be "interesting."

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 17, 2022 11:29 AM (BFigT)

279 wait - am I given to understand that Sarah Hoyt lurks here?!?!!

that is AWESOME!

Posted by: Black Orchid at April 17, 2022 11:29 AM (j9HX3)

280
The writer posits that in any era, the murders that captivate the interest of both the general public AND Famous Persons* tell us a lot about the particular time & place. Why THESE particular murders among so many?

*De Quincey; Carlyle; Schopenhauer, einer alia
Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 11:28 AM (NLIak)

Murderers vary. Some are interesting to speak with, some are really "just assholes".

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 11:30 AM (ONvIw)

281 wait - am I given to understand that Sarah Hoyt lurks here?!?!!

that is AWESOME!
Posted by: Black Orchid at April 17, 2022 11:29 AM (j9HX3)
----
I think we'd all be surprised at the people who lurk here on a regular basis.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 11:30 AM (K5n5d)

282 Attribute it to the duality of man

or something.
Posted by: Tonypete at April 17, 2022 11:29 AM (e1mwr)
---------
Or "something".

Ahahahahaha!

Posted by: Edward Hyde at April 17, 2022 11:31 AM (ARs9M)

283 wait - am I given to understand that Sarah Hoyt lurks here?!?!!

that is AWESOME!

A few years ago, she would comment once in a great while but I think she tapered off when she became a regular contributor at Insty.

Posted by: Oddbob at April 17, 2022 11:34 AM (nfrXX)

284 Just popping in to wish all Christian 'rons and 'ettes a Happy Easter!

Posted by: Donna&&&&&&V at April 17, 2022 11:34 AM (HabA/)

285 Yet F-1 cars got bigger tires and passing is phenomenally up

Posted by: Skip's new phone at April 17, 2022 11:35 AM (2JoB8)

286
Which is the exact opposite of what NASCAR said those diffusers would do.

Tonight's dirt race at Bristol should be "interesting."
Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 17, 2022 11:29 AM (BFigT)

I give NASCAR credit for their safety innovations. Everything else they try is usually a dumpster fire.

Dirt tracking those heavy ass bricks of cars is just stupid.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:35 AM (Zz0t1)

287 Just popping in to wish all Christian 'rons and 'ettes a Happy Easter!
Posted by: Donna&&&&&&V at April 17, 2022 11:34 AM (HabA/)

Right back atcha!!!

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:36 AM (Zz0t1)

288 Hogmartin is the Man! But I have to tell you, I get an uneasy feeling every morning using an "UnF*cker" tool to format my Saint of the Day information. LOL

Attribute it to the duality of man

or something.
Posted by: Tonypete at April 17, 2022 11:29 AM (e1mwr)

LULZ!

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:37 AM (Zz0t1)

289 View
Show All
Posted by: rhennigantx at April 17, 2022 11:06 AM (yrol0)

I still don't see Show All in the View tab. I'm running Word Student and Home Office 2019. I had to use the Help feature to request Show All and it did, but it did not tell me how to launch it without going through Help.

Posted by: Count de Monet at April 17, 2022 11:37 AM (4I/2K)

290 276; 267 cont:

Snippet #3 (the last one)

The murders that gained the most attention in Regency and early/mid Victorian England may have been a reaction against Whig rationalism and the advance of science & progress-- i.e., a cannibal sitting politely at the wedding banquet.

So... how does this translate to our own age?

This is just me now, not the book I mentioned. The most famous murders of the Twentieth Century (at least in the U.S.) were the Manson Family's work.

Why so famous? Free floating angst resulting from the Viet Nam morass, perhaps?

Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 11:38 AM (NLIak)

291 My disappointment with Colorado is that they've made the entire states identity about pot. It was moderately depressing. A state that has sooo much beauty to offer, HAVE SOME WEED!!!!!
Posted by: Sponge

That is so true. What a beautiful state to be outdoors in yet such a mess in politics.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 17, 2022 11:39 AM (y/nl1)

292 btw wearing a stupid mask for the flight out and the flight back SUCKED

I had to fly to CO but I am not going anywhere else that needs air travel

Posted by: Black Orchid at April 17, 2022 11:39 AM (j9HX3)

293 Happy Easter everyone. Just back from the Easter service.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 17, 2022 11:40 AM (y/nl1)

294 This is just me now, not the book I mentioned. The most famous murders of the Twentieth Century (at least in the U.S.) were the Manson Family's work.

Why so famous? Free floating angst resulting from the Viet Nam morass, perhaps?
Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 11:38 AM (NLIak)

Because one of their victims was very famous? And the fact that it was a "group" of murderers, not some individual who was a garden variety sociopath. Also, IIRC, there was a certain attraction to the murders by some of the left due to the financial status of the victims.

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 11:42 AM (ONvIw)

295 "I wonder if that's a shout-out to (I think) Miller Huggins, who managed the Yankees and Cardinals, and was famous for stunts such as suiting up a midget, who would crunch down when at bat, effectively having no strike zone."

Bill Veeck played the 3' 7'' Eddie Gaedel, the shortest person ever to play Major League Baseball, in 1951 when he owned the St. Louis Browns. According to Veeck, "He was, by golly, the best darn midget who ever played big-league ball. He was also the only one."

Posted by: Pope John the 20th at April 17, 2022 11:44 AM (xi3bI)

296 Still working on "Checkmate in Berlin" by Giles Milton. A history of postwar Berlin, 1945-1949.

Posted by: Cow Demon at April 17, 2022 11:47 AM (CdZ4i)

297 Pfft. Get offa my lawn, kid.

Posted by: Wordstar at April 17, 2022 10:13 AM (nfrXX)

You guys.

Posted by: Pen and Paper

Hold my beer (fermented in my woman's mouth)

Posted by: Ocher spit through the gap in my front teeth at April 17, 2022 11:47 AM (WFMLs)

298 This is just me now, not the book I mentioned. The most famous murders of the Twentieth Century (at least in the U.S.) were the Manson Family's work.

Why so famous? Free floating angst resulting from the Viet Nam morass, perhaps?
Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 11:38 AM (NLIak)

So if one is going to write about killers, you need a place and culture (gangsters, mafia types, crazy ass hippies against the system) or a person who was interesting, or at least someone you could empathize with, before they did the deed. And a good description of "why", or how they derailed into the "why". A druggie who bashes dad's head in for drug money...nope.

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 11:48 AM (ONvIw)

299 Pfft. Get offa my lawn, kid.

Posted by: Wordstar at April 17, 2022 10:13 AM (nfrXX)

You guys.

Posted by: Pen and Paper

Blow me.

Posted by: Piss and Snow at April 17, 2022 11:48 AM (Zz0t1)

300
Reading "Quartered Safe Out Here" by George McDonald Fraser, his memoir of the 1945 Burma Campaign. A really good read, once you decipher the Cumbrian-Indian dialect he puts in the mouths of his squad mates.

It's a worm's-eye view of an enlisted man's life during the war. Fraser and his squad are all civilians in uniform doing a job, not heroically but in a workmanlike way. He doesn't bitch about the army or his officers (who barely figure in the story). There are firefights and deaths - including a shocking friendly-fire incident - but these aren't dwelled on or the dead sobbed over. Nor does he waste any sentiment over killing the enemy, whether by gunfire, artillery or nuclear bombs.

Highly recommended.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 17, 2022 11:49 AM (/U27+)

301 That is so true. What a beautiful state to be outdoors in yet such a mess in politics.
------
So many people being wasted isn't helping much either me thinks.

Posted by: dartist at April 17, 2022 11:49 AM (+ya+t)

302 Mass was nice this morning.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at April 17, 2022 11:49 AM (omkbI)

303 Only about 25%-30% of my books are in this library. The remaining books are in my office, my dining area, and, of course, my living room.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 17, 2022 10:08 AM (K5n5d)

Still more organized than I am. Most of my books are in boxes (many boxes) in the garage. Have to go out there once in a while to figures out what I feel like re-reading. God forbid that it's a series and I have to spend 3-4 hours finding the rest of the books....
-SLV

Posted by: Shy Lurking Voter at April 17, 2022 11:49 AM (DkHo+)

304 291 My disappointment with Colorado is that they've made the entire states identity about pot. It was moderately depressing. A state that has sooo much beauty to offer, HAVE SOME WEED!!!!!
Posted by: Sponge

That is so true. What a beautiful state to be outdoors in yet such a mess in politics.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 17, 2022 11:39 AM (y/nl1)

Having grown up in Aurora and having a window to the west which offered a view of the true Denver skyline (the mountains of course), I feel your pain. Not to mention that this is the reason my region of TX (Panhandle) is FULL of DPS troopers looking for any reason to stop anybody...

Posted by: Cow Demon at April 17, 2022 11:50 AM (CdZ4i)

305 ------
So many people being wasted isn't helping much either me thinks.
Posted by: dartist at April 17, 2022 11:49 AM (+ya+t)

I will admit, I was a bit surprised how little we smelled it during our time there. Once at the top of Pikes Peak and once or twice in the campground, but rarely when we were out and about, checking things out.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:50 AM (Zz0t1)

306 N.L. Urker, 600 to 700 generals is way too high a number. I think the real number killed was between 60 and 70 on each side. That's still a lot of generals. Someone mentioned leading from the front and that is true. Brigadier generals would go in with their brigades, frequently on horseback, which made them a prime target. The Confederates lost 6 generals in one day at The Battle of Franklin. I loved the Shelby Foote trilogy, have it sitting on the library table right now.

Posted by: Indiana lurker at April 17, 2022 11:51 AM (3ZVqj)

307 The murder of the Lindbergh baby was a huge, ongoing media event. So much weirdness there. Dubbed the Trial of the Century when Hauptmann was tried.

Posted by: JuJuBee at April 17, 2022 11:51 AM (mNhhD)

308
Mass was nice this morning.
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at April 17, 2022 11:49 AM (omkbI)

________

Because there was a Midnight Mass, the 7:00 AM Mass got pushed back to 7:30, something this dimbulb wasn't aware of. I was sitting there at a quarter to seven wondering where everyone was and why we weren't having a Rosary.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 17, 2022 11:52 AM (/U27+)

309 Re: sidebar Garrett bushwhack- I'd have guessed Wham!

Posted by: Farmer Bob at April 17, 2022 11:53 AM (fj2YZ)

310 My early user and technical manuals were hand written and given to the ladies in the typing pool. They used some kind of stand alone word processor machine, not a computer. (I was popular with them because they could read my hand writing.) If you needed multiple copies you used a photocopier which gave better results than that damn tractor paper.

This was back when the programs were done in COBOL on key punch machines.

Posted by: JTB at April 17, 2022 11:53 AM (7EjX1)

311 I wish the Civil War trilogy audio had been narrated by Shelby Foote. I loved listening to his voice.

Posted by: JTB at April 17, 2022 11:55 AM (7EjX1)

312 Re: sidebar Garrett bushwhack- I'd have guessed Wham!
Posted by: Farmer Bob at April 17, 2022 11:53 AM (fj2YZ)

That's funny.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 11:56 AM (Zz0t1)

313 307 The murder of the Lindbergh baby was a huge, ongoing media event. So much weirdness there. Dubbed the Trial of the Century when Hauptmann was tried.
Posted by: JuJuBee at April 17, 2022 11:51 AM (mNhhD)

And so much fame. Lindbergh was an absolute rock star, and his wife was the daughter of the ambassador to Mexico and former NJ Senator. I maintain the fame made it the trial of the century. The trial was very driven by the fame of the family

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 11:58 AM (ONvIw)

314 Bill Veeck played the 3' 7'' Eddie Gaedel, the shortest person ever to play Major League Baseball
------
Had a midget play when he owned the White Sox too. He always had something going because baseball was for entertainment and not to be taken so seriously. Always happy to talk to fans.

Posted by: dartist at April 17, 2022 11:58 AM (+ya+t)

315 278. As I mentioned on the downstairs thread , NASCAR never raced on Easter or Mother Day out of respect for the crews wanting to be with family to celebrate a deeply religious holiday and out of respect for mothers. As of today that tradition is literally been stomped into the dirt.

Posted by: Jen the original at April 17, 2022 11:58 AM (ikRR0)

316 As I mentioned on the downstairs thread , NASCAR never raced on Easter or Mother Day out of respect for the crews wanting to be with family to celebrate a deeply religious holiday and out of respect for mothers. As of today that tradition is literally been stomped into the dirt.
Posted by: Jen the original at April 17, 2022 11:58 AM (ikRR0)

This is fact.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:00 PM (Zz0t1)

317 The murder of the Lindbergh baby was a huge, ongoing media event. So much weirdness there. Dubbed the Trial of the Century when Hauptmann was tried.
Posted by: JuJuBee

Sacco and Venzetti in 1927 also. Additional weirdness.

Why, it's as if mass media can't be fully trusted!

Posted by: Tonypete at April 17, 2022 12:00 PM (e1mwr)

318 Haven't read Furgurson, but it's definitely discussed in Sears.

-
One sentence compare and contrast between there two books.

Sears: It wasn't all Hooker's fault.

Furgurson: Yes, it was.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 12:01 PM (FVME7)

319 JTB, Yes, he had that wonderful southern drawl. There is an interview with him on Youtube. It's titled "Stars in Their Courses." You might find it interesting. He actually would write by hand, maybe 200 to 300 words a day. It's no wonder it took him 20 years to write it.

Posted by: Indiana lurker at April 17, 2022 12:01 PM (3ZVqj)

320 Haven't read Furgurson, but it's definitely discussed in Sears.

-
One sentence compare and contrast between there two books.

Sears: It wasn't all Hooker's fault.

Furgurson: Yes, it was.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 12:01 PM (FVME7)

Where does Roebuck fit into all this?

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:01 PM (Zz0t1)

321
Sacco and Venzetti in 1927 also. Additional weirdness.

Why, it's as if mass media can't be fully trusted!
Posted by: Tonypete at April 17, 2022 12:00 PM (e1mwr)

_________

Sorry, libs. They were guilty.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 17, 2022 12:02 PM (/U27+)

322 309 Re: sidebar Garrett bushwhack- I'd have guessed Wham!
Posted by: Farmer Bob at April 17, 2022 11:53 AM (fj2YZ)

I was thinking classic, like London Boys.

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 12:02 PM (II3Gr)

323
I was thinking classic, like London Boys.
Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 12:02 PM (II3Gr)

I was leaning more Boy George. I see garrett as a true karmachameleon.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:03 PM (Zz0t1)

324 Sorry, libs. They were guilty.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

Didn't later evidence lean towards Sacco being certainly guilty (ballistic evidence) but Venzetti was not?

Posted by: Tonypete at April 17, 2022 12:04 PM (e1mwr)

325 Did they just put dirt on the track at Bristol?

Posted by: fd at April 17, 2022 12:04 PM (vrz2I)

326 Did they just put dirt on the track at Bristol?
Posted by: fd at April 17, 2022 12:04 PM (vrz2I)

Yes.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (Zz0t1)

327 Or are they running on a real dirt track?

Posted by: fd at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (vrz2I)

328 When I think of CO I think marginally worse skiing than Utah. Then pot.

Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (3vQN0)

329 The Nicole Brown and Laci Peterson murders were the most famous or at least reported on murders in the last 30 years.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (PCUPG)

330 CN

You have a point about Lindbergh. I suppose instead of saying "of the Twentieth Century, I could've said "of my lifetime," perhaps.

Poor Sharon Tate was not 1/100th as famous as The Lone Eagle, & yet Manson's murder cult PROBABLY got more press? Close call.

Scott Berg's bio of Lindbergh is fascinating. He notes that when Lindbergh landed in Paris, he quickly became the most famous person in the world, & then arguably the most famous person in western history, possibly excluding Alexander the Great. And Lindbergh was 27.

Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (NLIak)

331 Blessed Easter, Passover, and Ramadan to all. The world needs all the Grace from God it can get right now. And I would have worn those pants to the Vigil last night.

Posted by: March Hare at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (lwrAe)

332 this isn't really book related, but Jordan Peterson has interviewed the mathematician Roger Penrose for his podcast. Peterson is always respectful, if a bit acid at times, but in this interview he is fascinated by what Penrose talks about.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (xhaym)

333 I was leaning more Boy George. I see garrett as a true karmachameleon.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:03 PM (Zz0t1)

*snort*

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (II3Gr)

334 How are they going to keep it from wearing off? Seems extremely dumb.

Posted by: fd at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (vrz2I)

335 I know math isn't allowed here but check out the new math.

https://bit.ly/37nuybL

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 12:06 PM (FVME7)

336 Hadrian, that book is on my (ridiculously huge) list. As for many, CBI theater is my weakest. Speaking of that, if you haven't heard of it, highly recomment "Tower of Skulls" by Richard Frank. First of a trilogy that focuses on exactly the least known or written about part of the war with Japan, and a key part, that in Asia.

Posted by: rhomboid at April 17, 2022 12:07 PM (OTzUX)

337 How are they going to keep it from wearing off? Seems extremely dumb.
Posted by: fd at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (vrz2I)

They brought several loads in and packed the shit out of it. It worked, sorta, last year. There's just a lot of dust involved and being a short track in a bowl, it's difficult to address.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:07 PM (Zz0t1)

338 Wounded and killed numbers are often a jumbled mess, totals of high ( listed as causality) get fouled up by someone else to only killed, bet that's what is king on here

Posted by: Skip's new phone at April 17, 2022 12:08 PM (2JoB8)

339 Beisbol and hockey and basketball have games on Easter. This isnt something radical.

Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:08 PM (3vQN0)

340 Seems California always has the most infamous murders . Or at least the most infamous reported on. Even NY doesn't have that many infamous murders. Son of Sam probably the most infamous. Lot of organized crime murders though.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at April 17, 2022 12:09 PM (PCUPG)

341 I know math isn't allowed here but check out the new math.

https://bit.ly/37nuybL
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I am not a biologist at April 17, 2022 12:06 PM (FVME7)

My kid comes home with that and I'm struggling to not go Falling Down on the school's ass.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:09 PM (Zz0t1)

342 Beisbol and hockey and basketball have games on Easter. This isnt something radical.
Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:08 PM (3vQN0)

USFL too

at least once anyway

Posted by: weirdflunky at April 17, 2022 12:09 PM (cknjq)

343 Beisbol and hockey and basketball have games on Easter. This isnt something radical.
Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:08 PM (3vQN0)

The point is, NASCAR has NEVER run on Easter or Mother's day. Out of respect for The Lord and moms.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:10 PM (Zz0t1)

344 The dirt at Bristol gets pretty well packed... it becomes almost like pavement it's so hard. After the NASCAR truck race last night the dirt was shiny, and you could tell it was very hard.

Most dirt tracks are like that. They start off muddy or dusty and end up being a slick bullring of dirt on top of the underlying base. Some tracks are paved under the dirt, others not.

I understand North Wilksboro will be making a comeback. There's discussion about making it a dirt track for a year or so then repaving it for "some" NASCAR races. No word on whether the top tier will run there again. Maybe the trucks and Xfinity...

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 17, 2022 12:11 PM (BFigT)

345 Who was that Alabama teen who was killed in Aruba? That was up there in the top 5.

Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:11 PM (3vQN0)

346
The point is, NASCAR has NEVER run on Easter or Mother's day. Out of respect for The Lord and moms.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:10 PM (Zz0t1)

You are correct of course.

Petty never had a beer sponsor out of respect for his Moma

Posted by: weirdflunky at April 17, 2022 12:11 PM (cknjq)

347 The point is, NASCAR has NEVER run on Easter or Mother's day. Out of respect for The Lord and moms.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:10 PM (Zz0t1)

Like Chick Fil A and Sundays but I bet the new management would love to open on Sunday.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at April 17, 2022 12:12 PM (PCUPG)

348 Yeah I get that nascar used to not do it. Just saying that changing it so they do is not something radical. Just catching up with the rest of pro sports.

Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:12 PM (3vQN0)

349 Oh, and about NASCAR racing on Easter or Mother's Day; they've been running on Mother's Day for a couple years now. So that's nothing new.

Running on Easter is. And more than likely that was a scheduling decision on the part of FOX, who televises the race.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 17, 2022 12:13 PM (BFigT)

350 Natalie Hathaway I think

Posted by: Skip's new phone at April 17, 2022 12:13 PM (2JoB8)

351 You have a point about Lindbergh. I suppose instead of saying "of the Twentieth Century, I could've said "of my lifetime," perhaps.

Poor Sharon Tate was not 1/100th as famous as The Lone Eagle, & yet Manson's murder cult PROBABLY got more press? Close call.

Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (NLIak)

I'm not sure that Manson got more press than the Lindbergh baby's death. It's just that we're further away from the event and less familiar with it. I remember the Manson murders, Lindbergh was "before my time", so I don't recollect the sensation.

Had these been relatively anonymous people's deaths, nobody would know of them today...local interest stories.

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 12:14 PM (ONvIw)

352 For anyone interested: N.T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God, Christian Origins and the Concept of God, volume 3.

Posted by: Jim S. at April 17, 2022 12:15 PM (ynUnH)

353 Natalie Hathaway I think
Posted by: Skip's new phone at April 17, 2022 12:13 PM (2Jo

Can't be in top 5 if one has a hard time coming up with the name.

Natalee Holloway by the way.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at April 17, 2022 12:15 PM (PCUPG)

354 Cops and ambulance workers and ER nurses and Burger flippers have to work on Easter. Nascar peeps doing it too isnt exactly the end of the world.

Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:15 PM (3vQN0)

355 My kid comes home with that and I'm struggling to not go Falling Down on the school's ass.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:09 PM (Zz0t1)

Mmmm....Whammy Burgers...

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 12:15 PM (II3Gr)

356 Yeah I get that nascar used to not do it. Just saying that changing it so they do is not something radical. Just catching up with the rest of pro sports.
Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:12 PM (3vQN0)

They used to not at any level. It's all a shameless money grab.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:16 PM (Zz0t1)

357 Still pretty close for memory

Posted by: Skip's new phone at April 17, 2022 12:16 PM (2JoB8)

358 If saw a picture I could pick her out

Posted by: Skip's new phone at April 17, 2022 12:17 PM (2JoB8)

359 Mmmm....Whammy Burgers...
Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 12:15 PM (II3Gr)
-------------
You know how they say, "The customer is always right"? Well...here I am!

Posted by: D-FENS at April 17, 2022 12:18 PM (ARs9M)

360 If saw a picture I could pick her out
Posted by: Skip's new phone at April 17, 2022 12:17 PM (2JoB

Wasn't Urine Van Der Sloot accused of another similar crime after the first one?

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:18 PM (Zz0t1)

361 354 Cops and ambulance workers and ER nurses and Burger flippers have to work on Easter. Nascar peeps doing it too isnt exactly the end of the world.
Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:15 PM (3vQN0)

Easter (business-wise) is a strange day in that there are plenty of businesses open. Fortunately not mine; they closed at midnight (though this did not stop people from staying past the close to do their grocery shopping, SMH).

Posted by: Cow Demon at April 17, 2022 12:18 PM (CdZ4i)

362 Still pretty close for memory
Posted by: Skip's new phone at April 17, 2022 12:16 PM (2JoB

No doubt. Which brings me to the injustice of everyone knowing the serial killer's name but none of their victims names. I'm guilty .

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at April 17, 2022 12:18 PM (PCUPG)

363 I remember Natalie Holloway as the hot chick who went to party in Aruba and was killed. Which is why it got all the coverage. Had she been ugly you would never have hers her name.

Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:19 PM (3vQN0)

364 Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 12:05 PM (NLIak)

The Lindbergh baby was kidnapped in 1932, yet it's still discussed and widely known. This is because of the dad, and a bit because of the fact it was fictionalized, written about over and over, and used as a reason to be anti-death penalty (Robert Wilentz was reportedly haunted by his father's prosecution of the case)

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 12:19 PM (ONvIw)

365
The whole 3rd Commandment thing about avoiding "unnecessary servile work" on Sundays has me baffled. The general idea I agree with but the details are a problem. Like, have I been committing a mortal sin if I stop for coffee and egg rolls after Mass? Why is it worse to enjoy myself mowing the yard than detest reading through 100 patents?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 17, 2022 12:20 PM (/U27+)

366 Ive lived in a lot of places and it is regional who is open or closed on holidays. Easter is a ghost town in some places and a normal Sunday in others. Same with Thanksgiving. One place I lived even fast food was closed which was really surpassing to me.

Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:21 PM (3vQN0)

367 The Lindbergh baby was kidnapped in 1932, yet it's still discussed and widely known. This is because of the dad, and a bit because of the fact it was fictionalized, written about over and over, and used as a reason to be anti-death penalty (Robert Wilentz was reportedly haunted by his father's prosecution of the case)
Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 12:19 PM (ONvIw)
-----------
Interestingly, Norman Schwartzkopf's father was top cop in the area at the time, and kept copies of everything related to the case, both sealed and unsealed. Schwartzkopf read through all of it after his father's death and was convinced that they got the right guy.

Posted by: D-FENS at April 17, 2022 12:22 PM (ARs9M)

368 The whole 3rd Commandment thing about avoiding "unnecessary servile work" on Sundays has me baffled. The general idea I agree with but the details are a problem. Like, have I been committing a mortal sin if I stop for coffee and egg rolls after Mass? Why is it worse to enjoy myself mowing the yard than detest reading through 100 patents?
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 17, 2022 12:20 PM (/U27+)

You're on the HIIIIIGHWAY TO HELL!!!!

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 12:23 PM (II3Gr)

369 Ack! Off psychologically disturbed sock!

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 17, 2022 12:23 PM (ARs9M)

370 Cops and ambulance workers and ER nurses and Burger flippers have to work on Easter. Nascar peeps doing it too isnt exactly the end of the world.
Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:15 PM (3vQN0)

No, but they don't have the opportunity to get kilt, live on TV, in front of their moms and family, like NASCAR racers do/did, at least back in the day before all the additional safety improvements. Hence the tradition of not racing on Easter or Mother's Day. Changing that tradition shows a lack of respect.

Posted by: Count de Monet at April 17, 2022 12:23 PM (4I/2K)

371
You're on the HIIIIIGHWAY TO HELL!!!!
Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 12:23 PM (II3Gr)

________

That was decided ages ago.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 17, 2022 12:24 PM (/U27+)

372 365
The whole 3rd Commandment thing about avoiding "unnecessary servile work" on Sundays has me baffled. The general idea I agree with but the details are a problem. Like, have I been committing a mortal sin if I stop for coffee and egg rolls after Mass? Why is it worse to enjoy myself mowing the yard than detest reading through 100 patents?
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 17, 2022 12:20 PM (/U27+)

I'm not sure that anyone carries this further than the Orthodox Jews who go as far as to disconnect the bulb in the refrigerator rather than perform the work of turning it on. I, myself, always interpreted it differently. I can engage in enjoyable activities which may be work to someone else with no guilt.

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 12:25 PM (ONvIw)

373 Wasn't Urine Van Der Sloot accused of another similar crime after the first one?
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 17, 2022 12:18 PM (Zz0t1)

Yep. Tried and convicted for that one and is wasting away in some South American prison. Daddy's Dutch money and influence had no traction there.

Posted by: Count de Monet at April 17, 2022 12:25 PM (4I/2K)

374 Who drinks coffee with egg rolls? A deviant, degenerate soul, that's who.

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 12:26 PM (II3Gr)

375 336 Hadrian, that book is on my (ridiculously huge) list. As for many, CBI theater is my weakest. Speaking of that, if you haven't heard of it, highly recomment "Tower of Skulls" by Richard Frank. First of a trilogy that focuses on exactly the least known or written about part of the war with Japan, and a key part, that in Asia.
Posted by: rhomboid at April 17, 2022 12:07 PM (OTzUX)

"SIR! The commanding general of the China-Burma-India Theater was General Vinegar Joe Stilwell, SIR!"

Posted by: Cow Demon at April 17, 2022 12:26 PM (CdZ4i)

376 Nood MisHun post.

Posted by: Count de Monet at April 17, 2022 12:27 PM (4I/2K)

377 I have a cookbook with Mary "Mom" Unser's pork chili that she used to bring to Indi every year. Supposedly got so popular she had to stop making it and had it catered.

Posted by: dartist at April 17, 2022 12:27 PM (+ya+t)

378 Interestingly, Norman Schwartzkopf's father was top cop in the area at the time, and kept copies of everything related to the case, both sealed and unsealed. Schwartzkopf read through all of it after his father's death and was convinced that they got the right guy.
Posted by: D-FENS at April 17, 2022 12:22 PM (ARs9M)

It was his dad's work, so he'd have a reason to believe that. The NJ Governor was less convinced. He also believed there was more than one person very involved in the kidnapping and murder. He was placed under terrific pressure to desist.

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 12:27 PM (ONvIw)

379 374 Who drinks coffee with egg rolls? A deviant, degenerate soul, that's who.
Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at April 17, 2022 12:26 PM (II3G

Probably with a side of raisins.

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 12:28 PM (ONvIw)

380

I, myself, always interpreted it differently. I can engage in enjoyable activities which may be work to someone else with no guilt.
Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 12:25 PM (ONvIw)

_________

I've settled on the "Don't Be a Jerk" standard.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 17, 2022 12:28 PM (/U27+)

381 Here is an unusual item. It is believed the most prolific American serial killer was a black guy, Samuel Little. Flips the profile script.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at April 17, 2022 12:29 PM (PCUPG)

382 363 I remember Natalie Holloway as the hot chick who went to party in Aruba and was killed. Which is why it got all the coverage. Had she been ugly you would never have hers her name.
Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at April 17, 2022 12:19 PM (3vQN0)

The media worked tirelessly to turn the media driven fascination with her into a race thing (she's young, pretty, and above all WHITE!!!) even though it was THEM making the story a thing. Whenever I heard her name come up on TV I changed the channel or turned it off.

Posted by: Cow Demon at April 17, 2022 12:30 PM (CdZ4i)

383 Lindbergh baby:

The guilt of Richard Hauptmann could not possibly be disputed by anybody but some Oliver Stone-type.

However, Hauptmann might well have had an accomplice who was never captured or identified.

The governor of New Jersey attended Hauptmann's execution & offered to stay his execution if Haupmann would tell the truth. He declined the offer.

Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 12:31 PM (NLIak)

384 I've settled on the "Don't Be a Jerk" standard.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 17, 2022 12:28 PM (/U27+)

Good standard. For example, out of respect for neighbors celebrating Easter, it would not occur to me to use noisy power tools in the yard, or do anything disruptive.

But back to the coffee after church, the very Orthodox would consider the driving and carrying of money to be the "sinful" part. There are very complex rules about this, which I largely choose to ignore.

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 12:33 PM (ONvIw)

385 The governor of New Jersey attended Hauptmann's execution & offered to stay his execution if Haupmann would tell the truth. He declined the offer.
Posted by: mnw at April 17, 2022 12:31 PM (NLIak)

I recall it being "if he confessed and named accomplices". The AG's son disagreed with Schwartzkopf's son about the outcome of the case, based on "reasonable doubt".

Posted by: CN The First at April 17, 2022 12:35 PM (ONvIw)

386 There's a nood. Just so you know.

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at April 17, 2022 12:40 PM (Vxu+H)

387 Weak Geek: Since my library didn't have Far Arena, I looked it up on ABE. The only copy they have was published by Dell in 1979. So your supposition about this Salir being the same Salir who Cowboys the Destroyer series is very likely true.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- bitterly clinging to the deplorable life '70s style! at April 17, 2022 12:59 PM (HVZDN)

388 Mary Poppins P P P.... I received my copy of The Stuff this week. Finished it last night. Very good read. We all went to the Easter vigil Mass and so it took me till midnight. Well worth the missed sleep. I'll put up an Amazon review when I'm home from my daughter's.

Now off to "help" my wife cook while our daughter is cantoring at the 10 a.m.

Posted by: Peter (You can call me Pete) Zah at April 17, 2022 01:05 PM (d6CYU)

389 Just popping in to wish all Christian 'rons and 'ettes a Happy Easter!
Posted by: Donna&&&&&&V

Happy Easter Donna of the Ampersands !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 01:39 PM (arJlL)

390 Happy Easter Screamie !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2022 01:39 PM (arJlL)

391
I've been reading Lyndsay Faye recently. She's very good. Has written several Sherlock Holmes books and they are in the original style. Most recent I've read is "Dust and Shadow" where Holmes solves the Jack the Ripper murders.

Also, recently watched all eight episodes of "Clarkson's Farm" free on Amazon Prime. Jeremy Clarkson buys 1000 acres in Cotswold and becomes a farmer. Funny and worth watching.

Posted by: frankly at April 17, 2022 02:12 PM (Uwea1)

392 Notorious homicides?

JonBenet Ramsey. Poor little girl.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 17, 2022 02:24 PM (Om/di)

393 Is this thread still alive? Happy Easter to one and all. He is Risen!

Posted by: LASue at April 17, 2022 02:49 PM (Ed8Zd)

394 "306 N.L. Urker, 600 to 700 generals is way too high a number. I think the real number killed was between 60 and 70 on each side....
"Posted by: Indiana lurker at April 17, 2022 11:51 AM"

Good estimate; according to the book Statistical Record Of The Armies Of The United States by Frederick Phisterer, a total of 67 Union generals and 73 Confederate generals were killed in the Civil War.

Getting the exact number of all generals in the war on both sides can be a bit tricky for all kinds of reasons-counting brevets for example-but the best estimates are about 560 substantive-grade Union generals and about 400 substantive-grade Confederate generals. 600 to 700 dead generals would be roughly 2/3rds of all generals in the war.

Posted by: Pope John the 20th at April 17, 2022 04:33 PM (xi3bI)

395 Thank you for mentioning Odd Tales. I LOVE the hat on the squirrel.
.... even if squirrels are commies in my shifter books.

I presume some squirrels are okay. I mean, I'm not squirrelist, honest. (Not-our-cat is though. She's waging war on squirrels. This might be good for the garden.)
Loved the photoshop.

Posted by: Sarah Hoyt at April 17, 2022 10:01 PM (g6BGq)

396 Traditional herbal medicines are based on the use of natural remedies
like Herbs and Roots, no special food no lifestyle change to
permanently cure drug resistance diseases. Patients who use this
methods will definitely testify. Though not all are natural and may
contain heavy elements which the kidney finds difficult to filter and
excrete that is why I recommend Dr. Omola
Two years ago I was permanently cured of oral herpes by Dr Omola
Dr Omola herbs are hundred percent natural, no after effect and is
guaranteed many have testified to this whatasapp him on
+2348118116254 and check out his website
https://dromolaherbalhome.wixsite.com/

Posted by: MANA DRUEWY at April 19, 2022 10:17 PM (zjAp1)

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