Date: Apr 17 13:21
User: The_Longhorn
Message:
):) Wow, it's amazing how much time I had to read, after taking a break from Free Cell. I was able to finish reading Glenn Beck's •Arguing with Idiots•. Next up is •The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, & the Mississippi Gulf Coast•, by David Brinkley.

):) How about the rest of y'all? Anyone read anything interesting, lately?

):o Moo.

Date: Apr 17 13:59
User: Snowguy
Message:
Lost in Roovile by Ray Blackston. It's the conclusion of a trilogy beginning with "Flabbergasted" and then on to "A Delirious Summer" as the second part.

Surprisingly, since I read "Delirious" first and only afterward moved on to Flabbergasted, I found that to be very agreeable. In Flabbergasted, I found lots of tidbits to make me smile, shedding light on events in the novel that followed. (For instance a character practically falls down laughing when, in Delierious, a Mynah says "Lincoln! Lincoln!") In Flabbergasted I found out the backstory. It broke me up, too.

In Rooville, it takes a much more dramatic turn., with Jay and Ally stranded in the middle of the Outback, with precious few supplies, lots of sun and heat, and next to no hope for rescue. Blackston does a fine job here. (But even though I know how that particular stranding works out, I still haven't a clue what happens in the rest of the novel. Things are looking ominous again.)

I thought some light reading was in order, for two reasons. Delirious was just so vividly written that I wanted more! And my reading has been a bit too serious lately.

Date: Apr 17 17:10
User: hotnurse
Message:
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay, 5/5 star rating by me
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See, 4.5/5 star
Dispatches From The Edge by Anderson Cooper, 5/5 star

Date: Apr 17 18:21
User: bil
Message:
Thomas Sowell's The housing boom and Bust:revised addition

Date: Apr 17 21:25
User: dr.calicokid
Message:
Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001.

Excellent read...by a Pulitzer Prize Winner, Steve Coll

Date: Apr 18 06:47
User: firenze
Message:
I am with you, dr.kid. A very good read.

Isn't is amazing how often we agree on things?

;)

Date: Apr 18 07:40
User: kangaroo
Message:
heaven+earth by Ian Plimer, a book about global warming.

Until I saw Ian Plimer being interview on TV earlier this year I'd never thought much about global warming. Now I understand why he needed to write the book. Now I understand why the IPCC is the most incompetent group ever assmebled. The humble hockey stick now has a new meaning.

Date: Apr 18 07:49
User: firenze
Message:
Please forgive my strange sense of humor, roo, but I got a chuckle out of the fact that you mis-assembled assembled.

Date: Apr 18 07:57
User: Snowguy
Message:
I see that Christie's sells assmebled products. (Link.)

I find that lots of hits turn up for "assmebled!" My guess is it's one of those words of the English language that are easily mis-typed. (Like Joesph, teh, etc.

Link: AN ASSMEBLED DANISH PORCELAIN MEISSEN STYLE...

Date: Apr 18 08:19
User: roo
Message:
.rofl

how did I do that?

Date: Apr 18 16:55
User: bil
Message:
it usually my fat fingers,but I wonder though if someone is right handed do they hit that the right key a little faster than the left or vice versa

Date: Apr 19 18:57
User: bikergurl
Message:
ok here recently ive just finished reading the twilight saga..i know im late on it all..but lol yea loved it, lately ive been intrigued in YA vampire fiction books..so im reading a series called House of Night and just started a new series Vampire Academy...so im reading those if im not at work, yoga, or zumba.

Date: Apr 19 21:09
User: hotnurse
Message:
Wow, just finished Europa, Europa by Solomon Perel. It's about "The wrenching memoir of a young man who survived the Holocost by concealing his Jewish identity and finding unexpected refuge as a member of the Hitler Youth", quote from the back cover.
And we complain about American politics.....................

Date: Apr 19 22:36
User: !_--FAST-ISHAM--_
Message:
Some "refuge" that mustve been. roo,you got me wondrin bout that "hockey stick". Guess I gotta get the book. Funny you mentioned humble and hockey stick in same sentence cuz I always wondered why they dont have a better name for hockey sticks. Really,its true. Always wondered why they dont call em slappers,slashers or something scientific. Theyre extremely complicated to manufacture,as one probably figures,yet they still just call em sticks!

Date: Apr 19 22:42
User: !_--FAST-ISHAM--_
Message:
Snowguy,youre a true comedian. They say that the best Ebay! shoppers hunt their quarry by purposefully misspelling items. Theres an actual list they use of misspellings to shop out every last item.

Date: Apr 19 23:12
User: roo
Message:
Just type "hockey stick" in a search engine FAST. After getting past the real thing, you will see references to climate change. Take it from there.

Yeah, humble - I suppose the same could be said about a cricket or baseball bat or a tennis racquet.

Date: Apr 19 23:22
User: !_--FAST-ISHAM--_
Message:
Thanks. Ill check that. True bout those others,but at least the word "bat" is unique sounding,and racquet,well,it speaks for itself. ANYTHING is better than sad old stick. I mean a sticks a stick but a hockey(esp.a pro) stick is something much more than a mere stick!

Date: Apr 19 23:26
User: !_--FAST-ISHAM--_
Message:
THAT WAS QUICK. Found it first try-IPCC and all. Actually came before anything having to do with hockey stix too. Its the temp-graph theyre using to illus. the sharp recent global temp rise. Thanks.

Date: Apr 20 01:01
User: horsec8z
Message:
Dead Men do Tell Tales, By William Maples Ph.D. Forensic Anthropology-Fascinating stuff.

The Secret Knowledge of Water, Craig Childs. For a desert rat like me it was very educational.

Oh and re-reading The Biology of Belief, Bruce Lipton Ph.D. Cellular Biology for those of us who weren't paying attention in class...

Date: Apr 20 07:42
User: Snowguy
Message:
FAST, I understand what you mean. If you want to buy a laptop without very much competition, look for latpops. If somebody posts one with that logical misspelling, you might have zero competition.
--------------------------------------------

:0
I can't believe it. Just like assmebled, I went looking. eBay has a number of hits for latpops! Here's a link to the eBay search:

(By the way, a "Dell Inspiron 1000 Latpop 2.2GHz 512MB 60GB CDRW/DVD" is the first hit.) Opening bid is $75. No bids so far. Want a new latpop for a low price? This might be your best bet.

Link: Latpops and latpop accessoried on sale at eBay.

Date: Apr 20 07:44
User: Snowguy
Message:
Sorry. Above, I meant "new" for you, not brand new. It's used but looks pretty good for a $75 starting bid latpop.

Date: Apr 20 07:47
User: Snowguy
Message:
(But hurry!) The auction ends in 18 hours and change, as of 08:48 Eastern US time...

Date: Apr 20 17:10
User: !_--FAST-ISHAM--_
Message:
Thats SO funny again,Sno. Man you and hotnurse saved me a session on the abs crunch at the gym later! I never actually TRIED that,but as youve shown,it REALLY HAPPENS. Youre too much,guy. Guess misspelling can make you a fortune-or LOSE one!

Date: Apr 21 19:58
User: Sue-Z-Q
Message:
I'm in the middle of reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I started reading The Girl Who Played with Fire until I learned it was a trilogy, then I put it down and picked up #1.

liking them both. :)

Date: Apr 21 20:19
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Re: "sticks" -- a set of golf clubs are also sometimes called "sticks"....

Re: "hockey stick" -- There are some out there who still haven't seen "An Inconvenient Truth"? (*Really* not trying to get back into all that....)

Date: Apr 21 20:26
User: !_--FAST-ISHAM--_
Message:
Not all have to "see" something to realise it!

Date: Apr 21 22:18
User: roo
Message:
Reminds me of the joke - what do you call a boomerang which doesn't come back? A stick.

TN - I've posted on the PR board for the first time. I watched Gore's movie only to be informed of what was being claimed.

Date: Apr 24 13:10
User: Hanibal_Lecter
Message:
Fello Netcellers,

I tend to read a lot. I finished "The Lost Symbol" in two days and then read "Shattered Sword", followed by "A Glorious Way to Die". I'm into "The Plot to Assinate General Patton" and "America's Hidden History". I've got a book about Jefferson and Franklin's "Fart Proudly" on the shelf to be read.

Uncle Hanibal

Date: Apr 24 13:24
User: The_Longhorn
Message:
>>>"The Plot to Assinate General Patton"<<<

):D Oh, my!

):) Seriously, •America's Hidden History• sounds interesting.

):o Moo.

Date: Apr 24 15:20
User: deadrat
Message:
Try "This Time We Went Too Far," by Norman G. Finkelstein, or Michael Pollan's latest, "In Defense of Food."

Date: Apr 25 15:27
User: Sue-Z-Q
Message:
I just finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. :)

Date: Apr 26 02:44
User: hotnurse
Message:
Couldn't put this one down, just finished. "The Nazi Officer's Wife" by Edith Hahn Beer. True story.

Date: Apr 26 16:44
User: !_--FAST-ISHAM--_
Message:
The Big House.

Date: Jun 30 12:46
User: The_Longhorn
Message:
):o I finally finished •The Great Deluge•. Earlier, I misidentified the author. It's Douglas Brinkley, not David.

):o Moo.

Date: Jun 30 13:03
User: Sue-Z-Q
Message:
I've just started Daemon by Suarez.

Robin Cook's review:
Daemon is an ambitious novel, which sets out not only to entertain, which it surely does, but also to challenge the reader to consider social issues as broad as the implications of living in a technologically advanced world and whether democracy can survive in such a world.

The storyline portrays one possible world consequent to the development of the technological innovations that we currently live with and the reality that the author, Suarez, imagines will evolve, and it is chilling and tense (on www.thedaemon.com the reader can find evidence that the seemingly incredible advances Suarez proposes could in fact become real). Daemon is filled with multiple scenes involving power displays by the Daemon's allies resulting in complete loss of control by its enemies, violence with new and innovative weaponry, explosions, car crashes, blood, guts, and limbs-cut-off galore.

As far as computer complexity, Daemon will satisfy any computer geek's thirst. I was thankful for Pete Sebeck, the detective in the book whose average-person understanding of computers necessitates an occasional explanation about what is going on. I came away from the novel with a new understanding, respect, and fear of computer capability.

Date: Jun 30 13:05
User: Sue-Z-Q
Message:
I should add... between the post above and this new one, I also read The Girl Who Played with Fire. There were 167 holds on the 4 copies we have through my library for Book #3. I guess I'll wait until it comes out in paperback before I buy it.

Date: Jul 3 15:30
User: bobswidow
Message:
Consciousness, by Susan Blackmore. It discusses the inner physical functioning of the brain and the mind.
I've also been reading :Lee Child's , Jack Reacher adventures. It is a great way to sublimate all my anger issues
Jack Reacher is really scary! ....But no more anger!

Most of all I've been sculpting a three figure diorama for a bronze sculpture.

Date: Jul 3 16:03
User: dr.chrissie8madrid
Message:
The Healing Code by Alex Loyd and Ben Johnson.

Date: Jul 16 16:18
User: Sue-Z-Q
Message:
Now I'm on Freedom(tm) - followup to Daemon. Excellent read for the tech geeks out there.

Date: Jul 16 18:10
User: hotnurse
Message:
Just finished another great book last night: Three Cups of Tea, about an American mountain climber in the early 1990's who, after a failed attempt to climb K2, decided to dedicate his life to building schools in Afghanistan mostly for girls. The book also gives an accurate history of how and why the Taliban became an extremist group. The guy will be in Indy in Sept. to speak at a local church so I hope to get his autograph.
Fascinating and all true.

Date: Jul 17 14:31
User: Sue-Z-Q
Message:
nurse, my son had to read that last summer for his school's summer reading/project. There's a "pre-teen" version of that book, which is the one he read. I don't want to call it a "children's book" because it was still a novel, just written for a younger mind. He loved the story too.

My other son is reading The Book Thief for one of his summer reading/projects. That was recommended to me a long time ago, so I may snag it when he's finished with his project!

Date: Jul 17 14:51
User: hotnurse
Message:
Sue, the book I read, Three Cups of Tea is all true, so did they edit the childrens' book edition so much that it had to be called a novel? Also I don't see any reason why the original book wouldn't be ok for kids to read. Other than a bit of violence, which is part of the Taliban's m.o., it's a fascinating modern-day history of the Afghan people.

Date: Jul 17 18:50
User: Sue-Z-Q
Message:
well, it wasn't in the fiction section of the library... I just figured they might have used simpler words?? I knew it was a true story and so did my son. but I don't know why there was more than one version. It wasn't a "kindergarten" book, that much I know.

Date: Jul 17 19:00
User: hotnurse
Message:
Maybe they just left out the gazillion Afghani names which who even remembers by the next page. Anyway, still a really good book. I'll put it with my re-read books for this winter. Btw, when does winter really begin? ;)

Date: Jul 17 19:21
User: Sue-Z-Q
Message:
as soon as there's SNOW to hit the slopes! ;)

after Freedom(tm), I'll be reading Lucky (probably). I have so many books in my queue, I can't seem to ever catch up!

I found The Lovely Bones (same author as Lucky) to be extremely depressing. I could only read about 4 pages at a time before I would have to put it down. Others I know who have read it were surprised that I found it incredibly sad.

Date: Jul 17 19:34
User: hotnurse
Message:
I got half way through Lovely Bones and had to quit. Too sad.

Date: Jul 17 19:54
User: Sue-Z-Q
Message:
I'm so glad I wasn't the only one! I couldn't understand how they DIDN'T feel so sad about it! I walked around depressed for 6 weeks (the amount of time it took me to finally finish the book). It dawned on me why I was depressed when I finished and wasn't depressed any more.

Date: Jul 19 08:51
User: anicca
Message:
Hmm... lots of serious reading here.

If anyone cares to lighten up a bit, 52 Loaves, William Alexander, is a terrific, hilarious read. Stitches on every page, how a man becomes obsessed with baking the perfect loaf of bread and drags his family along with him. Plus all anyone ever wanted to know about the art of baking bread. Enjoy~~

Date: Jul 19 12:35
User: Sue-Z-Q
Message:
funny series I've read...well, not all of them, but enough:

Janet Evanovich! Laugh out loud funny! more of a chick book than a guy's read though.

Date: Jul 20 20:27
User: StarGazer
Message:
I just finished Under the Dome by Stephen King!!
EXCELLENT BOOK.
However it is heavy. SO I downloaded a copy to my iPad. God I love that thing!!

SG

Date: Jul 20 20:51
User: hotnurse
Message:
Thanks for the info Stargazer, I looked at that book last week but thought it was too big for summer reading. I like most of his books, so what did you think of this one compared to his others?

Date: Jul 22 14:35
User: RingoStarr
Message:
In Search of the Menopause Ranch-- a New Age fantasy for femi-nazis.

Date: Jul 23 16:47
User: Sue-Z-Q
Message:
Finished Freedom(tm) - the followup to Daemon by Daniel Suarez. highly recommend for any tech geeks out there. Technothriller.

Next: Lucky by Alice Sebold (same author as The Lovely Bones)

Date: Jul 25 14:27
User: The_Longhorn
Message:
):) •An Inconvenient Book•, by Glenn Beck.

):o Moo.

Date: Jul 25 17:53
User: StarGazer
Message:
Hotnurse, I liked it! Serioulsy I liked it enough that I read it in one week. *whew* But when I get into a good book I can read all day.....well not really but good 2 - 3 hours at a time
SG

Date: Jul 26 11:31
User: quackisback
Message:
I read Lovely Bones earlier this summer, it was good, but like you said a bit depressing as well. I tend to read a lot of Janet Evanovich as she writes about Trenton, the state capital. Also read Lisa Scottoline, a local author. Also read Jonathan Kellerman, and Patricia Cornwell.

Date: Jul 26 15:57
User: CawthraGuy
Message:
Try 'The Radioactive Boy Scout'. A kid in Michigan builds a breeder reactor in his family garden shed

really

Date: Jul 26 16:54
User: hotnurse
Message:
Caw, sounds like Tommy Knockers by Stephen King.

Date: Jul 26 20:33
User: Katzby
Message:
I've been on a Dickens kick lately and am reading "Martin Chuzzlewit" after finishing "Our Mutual Friend." For me they're like comfort food.