June 30, 2013

Sunday Morning Book Thread 06-30-2013: Self Defense Edition [OregonMuse]
— Open Blogger


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Good morning morons and moronettes and welcome to the the award-winning AoSHQ's Sunday Morning Book Thread.


Show Trial

Andrew Branca, a lawyer in Massachusetts who specializes in self-defense issues, has been tweeting the George Zimmerman trial like a boss. I've enjoyed his twittering all week long, so I will put in a plug for his book The Law of Self-Defense: A Guide for the Armed Citizen which, for whatever, is cheaper on Mr. Branca's website than what you can get it for on Amazon.

Also, here is the Amazon page of the U.S. Concealed Carry Association that has published a number of inexpensive Kindle books covering various aspects of concealed carry rights.

From what I can gather from the moron comments in the trial threads this week, the mainstream media reporting of this trial has been quite different than what Andrew has been tweeting. For example, they presented Rachel Jeantel, who couldn't read a letter she herself had supposedly written, and who admittedly lied in previous testimony, as some kind of awesome witness that was just devastating to the Zimmerman defense team. After reading Andrew's tweets, they must be living in some kind of bizarro-world where up is down, the sky is pink, and AoSHQ morons understand women. Witness after witness confirmed the Zimmerman account, so much so that Andrew snarkily reminded his readers more than one time this week, "Remember, this is a State witness."

But...

No matter how weak the state's case appears to educated and and informed men such as Mr. Branca, I really don't know how it's playing to the jury, particularly if its composed of LIV types.

The outlook for Florida this summer is bleak. I think Zimmerman will either be acquitted outright, in which case the riots will start immediately, or he will be acquitted on appeal, in which case the riots will start a little later. Either way, I'm afraid that Florida is going to burn.


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What I'm Reading Lately

It took me a long time, but I finally finished reading The Way of Kings, a fantasy novel by Brandon Sanderson, which I first heard about via a moron recommendation on the SBT a few months back. It reminded me of Dune in a funny sort of way: Sanderson does a good job of creating a world that is completely different from our own, with it's own unique geography, history, religion, etc. In Dune, desert and scarcity of water and spice are important elements. Here, it's stone, light, gems, and violent storms that shape much of this world's culture and conflicts. And Sanderson doesn't explain it all for you beforehand, either, you just get thrown into it with a big splash, and you have to learn how to swim the hard way. The dead-tree edition of TWOK is a hair over 1,000 pages long, and I had to read about half-way through before I could get my bearings and figure out hat really was going on and who the important players were. The situation is further complicated by the fact that there are 3 or 4 separate threads running simultaneously, each with its own plot and own set of characters, and they don't intersect or have much to do with each other until way late in the story. But it all comes together by the end and it sets up the sequel, due out in 2014, very nicely.

Sanderson has written a number of other books, but I haven't read any of them.

___________

Because Vince Flynn passed away, I thought I'd belatedly familiarize myself with his work, so I picked up one of his early Mitch Rapp thrillers, Transfer of Power. It's pretty good so far, and quite the page-turner, but I'm not reading it as much as I would like. That's because I keep switching over to this other page-turner: A Choice of Treasons by J L Doty, a sci-fi novel and another moron recommendation from a few months back. The main character is an imperial naval officer who gets caught up in interstellar politics, which he must navigate skillfully, with no margin of error, in order to save his own life and those whose lives he has been charged to keep.


Yet Another Moron Author

Infrequent moron commenter "Frank Underwood (D-SC)" e-mailed earlier this week and requested that I pimp his new book let the Moron Horde know that his new book, The Smelly Planet, is now available on Kindle. Now, with a title like that, you might think that this is going to be a parody of a grade-school science textbook. But you'd be wrong.

I'll let the book's narrator tell you what it's all about:

I'm Chuck Strickland. Former American, convict laborer, first-wave colonist of Carter, and New Southampton's first-ever Physical Plant Manager. This book is my memoir of the events and aftermath of the Archbishop of Canterbury's fateful visit in August 2066. I was responsible for the colony's maintenance, so I knew all the big important people and had a front-row seat to see it all unfold.

Some college professor from Earth recently described me as a "sociopathic yet compliant henchman"...All I can say is, don't get your information about New Southampton from a bunch of self-righteous academics who never worked a day in their lives. Let old Chuck Strickland give you the real scoop.

Strickland sounds like a real Moron, doesn't he? I'm still mad at "Underwood" for taunting me with a fake offer of free vodka, but you should buy his book, anyway. It's only $2.99.

___________

So that's all for this week. As always, book thread tips, suggestions, rumors, and insults may be sent to OregonMuse, Proprietor, AoSHQ Book Thread, at aoshqbookthread, followed by the 'at' sign, and then gmail dot com.

So what have you all been reading this week? Hopefully something good, because, as we all know, life is too short to read lousy books.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 07:32 AM | Comments (199)
Post contains 999 words, total size 7 kb.

1 Finished reading Empire From The Ashes by David Weber. It is a compendium of the 3 Dayhak books available for the Kindle for $8.99.  If you havenÂ’t read this series you should give it a try it really is good. And at $8.99 for all three books it is a good price.  See Oregon Muse, the price is not too high!




Now re-reading the series by John Ringo “Legacy of the Aldenata”.  It is also one of his first. I had the original in paperback and now reading it on the Kindle.  The first two books in the series are free but be careful.  If you download directly from the Kindle they charge you for the second, but if use the computer to go to Amazon it is free.  The first book is somewhat slow but it really picks up after that.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 07:31 AM (lZvxr)

2 Most of what I have been reading about the testimony of the Haitian idiot witness is that she was not only incompetent, illiterate, and stupid, but she was also an ideal witness for the defense.


If the Judge does not dismiss the case it is proof that a legal lynching is taking place.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 07:34 AM (lZvxr)

3 It took me a long time, but I finally finished reading The Way of Kings, a fantasy novel by Brandon Sanderson, which I first heard about via a moron recommendation on the SBT a few months back


That is a great book.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 07:35 AM (lZvxr)

4 Sanderson has written a number of other books, but I haven't read any of them.


The Mistborn books are also very good.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 07:36 AM (lZvxr)

5 I enjoyed Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy quite a lot.

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 07:37 AM (zpNwC)

6 If the Judge does not dismiss the case it is proof that a legal lynching is taking place.

***

Or, as Rachel would say, a kangaboo court.

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 30, 2013 07:37 AM (VlXYw)

7 I've been reading Agatha Christie, because racking up page count for my local library's summer reading program.  I'm sure I can't outread the retired and SAHMs, but every 500 pages is another entry into the drawing for the ice cream gift certificate...

When it's over I have to try Ben-Hur again, because I visited Lew Wallace's study--which was pretty much a Victorian man cave--yesterday.  Wallace was a really interesting man...after he retired from public life (Civil War general, governor of New Mexico, minister to the Ottoman Empire) he taught himself how to make violins.  Holy cow.  http://ben-hur.com



I'm also really digging the link through the AoS store to purchase books mentioned. 

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, drinking beer at June 30, 2013 07:38 AM (hO8IJ)

8 Rachel Jeantel speaks in a ghetto patois that is understandable to her peers. She is not stupid, poorly educated (in the sense that most use that term), and probably has a posse of her own.

How the jury decides is unpredictable without more knowledge of the jury.

Posted by: Skandia Recluse at June 30, 2013 07:38 AM (O7nfx)

9 No reading and very little writing this week, all caught up in the GZ trial. Hope to get writing soon. Stll upset over Vince Flynn. Mitch Rapp is gone, there were so many possibilities.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 30, 2013 07:39 AM (XIxXP)

10 #7  I highly recommend Agatha Christie.

Posted by: Miss Marple at June 30, 2013 07:40 AM (GoIUi)

11 That picture on the left is what the 'ettes look like when Ace posts a movie review.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at June 30, 2013 07:41 AM (V1ZIU)

12 Either way, I'm afraid that Florida is going to burn. Every city with a large urban yute population will experiance violence. I would stay the hell away from every one of the top 50 cities.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 30, 2013 07:41 AM (XIxXP)

13 Robert Jordan, "Conan the Triumphant". This one, the fifth in Jordan's Conan pastiches, is a return to form after "Conan the Magnificent" which got reviewed here last week (and which was awful).

Conan is now leading a mercenary band and has enlisted in the service of a nobleman in Ophir. Problem is, Ophir is about to undergo a leadership change, and one of the nobles happens to be a priestess to the Fifty Shades Of Gray God. This isn't as fun as it sounds.

Jordan is showing here that he has a sense of humour. Also, Conan isn't a teenage boy's Mary Sue avatar as he was in the last book, or at least not as much.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at June 30, 2013 07:43 AM (QTHTd)

14 Sanderson is a good choice, although I wouldn't recommend "Elantris"... especially when compared with his other stuff, it wasn't overly well written. The "Mistborn" trilogy is well worth reading though. If you enjoy the genre, I'd also highly recommend Jim Butcher. His "Codex Alera" (fantasy) and "The Dresden Files" (urban fantasy) are both among my favorite series'.

Posted by: menoichius at June 30, 2013 07:45 AM (tfup/)

15 An imperial navel officer, eh? Is his dress uniform a bikini?

Posted by: Assault Citizen Anachronda at June 30, 2013 07:48 AM (/fhBu)

16 "Andrew Branca, a lawyer in Massachusetts who specializes in self-defense issues, has been tweeting the George Zimmerman trial like a boss. I've enjoyed his twittering all week long, so I will put in a plug for his book The Law of Self-Defense: A Guide for the Armed Citizen which, for whatever, is cheaper on Mr. Branca's website than what you can get it for on Amazon." He posted in a thread here a couple of days ago but I can't find it.

Posted by: Tami[/i][/b][/u][/s] at June 30, 2013 07:48 AM (X6akg)

17 Speaking of show trials, by the way, I see that the Lifetime Network already has a Jodi Arias television movie.  she hasn't even been sentenced yet and Lifetime is on it!

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 30, 2013 07:49 AM (VlXYw)

18 Thank you most kindly, OM! I should mention that "The Way of Kings" link also points to my book. Which is fine, but as Jefferson said in Stuff Jefferson Said, "The tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of fair play."

Posted by: Frank Underwood (D-SC) at June 30, 2013 07:50 AM (fscec)

19 Just finished, "I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution" which was a pretty fascinating and quite funny at times look at the breakout of MTV and music videos from 1981 to 1992.

Started "The DeLorean Story" obviously about John DeLorean and the making of the car.

Also reading the third book in the Ally Condie Matched series which is called "Reached."  Another YA dystopian book.  I have an addiction.

Posted by: DangerGirl (screw you NSA) at June 30, 2013 07:50 AM (GrtrJ)

20 It'll be more than Florida burning, and it'll all be thanks to the corrupt media and race baiters like Rev Al and Chris Matthews.

The original incident wouldn't have even happened without the work of Rev Al and MSM. Where does a kid get the idea he's entitled to go MMA on a "cracker" just for annoying him slightly?

This entire thing is the fault of the media and other liberal race hustlers. There is blood on their hands and there will be more.

Posted by: forest at June 30, 2013 07:51 AM (stMuz)

Posted by: Jean at June 30, 2013 07:54 AM (9GG/0)

22 I am reading a book called shadow stories which is a collection of short stories in the style of ray Bradbury that was put together to show how many authors he influenced. Now of course several of the writers are raving progressives but the stories are still good.

Posted by: Paranoidgirlinseattle at June 30, 2013 07:54 AM (RZ8pf)

23 I'm not reading no books written by some creepy-ass cracker.

Posted by: Rachel Jeantel at June 30, 2013 07:55 AM (9GG/0)

24 So i got this great idea for a suspense novel I wanna write. This Fanatical Rightwing Christian--I haven't decided whether he an oil company CEO or a four star general--plots a nuclear or biological terrorist attack. But there's a twist. See? He' going to make it look like Muslims are responsible so he can start a holy war. Izzat genius, or what? This totally new idea is all my own so don't try to steal it. I'm already casting the movie in my head. I'm thinking Powers Boothe for the CEO/General.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at June 30, 2013 07:55 AM (aOnaK)

25 It took me a long time, but I finally finished reading The Way of Kings, a fantasy novel by Brandon Sanderson.

I read that about a year ago, really enjoyed it, but he says it's going to be a 10 book series. He has too many irons in the fire - too many projects.  If it's going to be 2 years between books I won't live long enough to see the end.

Posted by: Tunafish at June 30, 2013 07:57 AM (zNgjY)

26 Any cities that burn will do so because they're allowed to do so.  A riot can be stopped with three simple words: Shoot to kill.

Posted by: cool arrow at June 30, 2013 07:57 AM (WMsq+)

27 In our home, we read books aloud to each other, usually after supper, while doing the dishes. We take turns: one washes, the other reads. At present, we're reading "The Lord of the Rings", and have just read the chapter "Flotsam and Jetsam". It's good to re-read a classic from time to time.

Speaking of classics, the Zimmerman case put me in mind of some passages from Dante's Inferno. In particular, the circle of the Sowers of Discord, in which the offenders are chopped up by a sword-wielding angel; and the circle of the Flatters, in which the damned are immersed in a river of shit. When the Journolisters stand before Minas, he'll have a hard time deciding which one to send them to.

Posted by: Brown Line at June 30, 2013 08:00 AM (a5bF3)

28 Also am finally on my last Lovecraft story in the complete collection I have been slogging through. Am eager to see if this one carries on his obsession with the word eldritch. Am so sad about Vince Flynn. I love his books. Now the story has ended for his characters too.

Posted by: Paranoidgirlinseattle at June 30, 2013 08:00 AM (RZ8pf)

29 Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at June 30, 2013 11:55 AM (aOnaK) Make it the Vice President, get Richard Dreyfuss to play him and name the character Rick Haney.

Posted by: Oliver Stone at June 30, 2013 08:02 AM (Aif/5)

30 The Old Way Of Seeing

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2785.The_Old_Way_of_Seeing

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at June 30, 2013 08:03 AM (/gHaE)

31 I read that about a year ago, really enjoyed it, but he says it's going to be a 10 book series. He has too many irons in the fire - too many projects. If it's going to be 2 years between books I won't live long enough to see the end.

Posted by: Tunafish at June 30, 2013 11:57 AM (zNgjY)



That is a major gripe I have with authors today.  Look what happened with the Wheel of Time series that Sanderson had to finish.


No series should have more than 5 books in it, and the bulk of them should only be three.  There is nothing wrong with providing an end point in a series and then picking it back up again with a new plot though.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 08:04 AM (lZvxr)

32 "...mainstream media reporting of this trial has been quite different than what Andrew has been tweeting. " No $#!+, Sherlock! I watched the OJ trial on Court TV (taped-ff-watched) and had CompuServe Law Forum as closest thing to, like, AoSHQ. What the Mainstream News portrayed was not even close to the actual clusterfluke going on. But that just seemed to be rank ignorance and sensationalism at work. This is media incitement to riot. What's really bad? So much of our system of jurisprudence is like this. For every poor Zimmerman we know about, how many other victims?

Posted by: mindful webworker, your servant at June 30, 2013 08:04 AM (13IVx)

33 "Either way, I'm afraid that Florida is going to burn." And the President of the United States, who used this killing to foment racial hatred, will have blood on his hands, as will his enablers and fellow race-gaiters in the media. If there was any justice it would be NBC that burns, not Florida. Goddamn, if we are lucky enough to have another presidential election, we need to throw the race-baiter party out on its slimy ass. I am sick and tired of these fucking Democrat whores!

Posted by: Ray Van Dune at June 30, 2013 08:05 AM (qIFL7)

34 No series should have more than 5 books in it, and the bulk of them should only be three. There is nothing wrong with providing an end point in a series and then picking it back up again with a new plot though. Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 12:04 PM (lZvxr) My plan is six for Amy Lynn, one a year. Writing is hard, really hard, hardest thing I have ever done. Even with the story in your head, to get it to paper, wow, it's hard.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 30, 2013 08:05 AM (XIxXP)

35 Also, I've been leafing through Kilpatrick's "Christianity, Islam and Atheism":
http://www.ignatius.com/Products/CIA-H/christianity-islam-and-atheism.aspx

So far I have mixed opinions on it.

One theme of the book is that religions tap into ancient human ... I guess we can call them meta-myths (my term, not Kilpatrick's), and that these meta-myths are hardwired into the human brain. He says that men, for instance, have a meta-myth in separation from the family (really, his mother), then initiation into the brotherhood of men, and finally return to the family (through his wife and their own children). Christianity offers this. Islam is stuck at the Männerbund phase; the Prophet's view of women was a teenage boy's view. Islam therefore cannot grow up.

The book also criticises Christians today for misunderstanding Christianity; for not standing up for their own faith and culture. As a result many sects of Christianity are becoming feminised and alienating men. Post-Christian men will seek out more manly alternatives, which will include fascism and Islam.

One somewhat minor critique I have is that it is squarely a product of the mainstream conservative counter-jihad. Wafa Sultan? Brigitte Gabriel? Robert Spencer? Yep - all accounted for! *I* don't much mind, given that they're all saying sensible things in their quotes, but someone's going to use the term "circle jerk" in a review... oh yeah.

Where the book is worst is in its underestimating of atheism. Kilpatrick, for whatever reason, imagines that opponents of orthodox Christianity are getting their ideas from "Da Vinci Code" rather than from, say, Bart Ehrman; and he even cites the long-debunked Ben Stein movie "Expelled" as an authority. Begging his pardon, but he's insulting his readers' intelligence.

Kilpatrick needs to poke at least one ear out of the echo-chamber and read up on what atheists read, not on what other Christians write about what atheists read. Kilpatrick might also benefit by reading Islam-skeptics in the scholarly field, like Shoemaker and Crone, and Holland and Michael Cook.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at June 30, 2013 08:06 AM (QTHTd)

36 I say let 'em riot. That's what .308 is for. I'm through being cool.

Bang some head and beat some butts - time to show those evil spuds what's what.

Posted by: Mash 'em at June 30, 2013 08:09 AM (8bROR)

37 Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 30, 2013 12:05 PM (XIxXP)


Well I hope I live long enough to read all 6.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 08:09 AM (lZvxr)

38 24 So i got this great idea for a suspense novel I wanna write. This Fanatical Rightwing Christian--I haven't decided whether he an oil company CEO or a four star general--plots a nuclear or biological terrorist attack. But there's a twist. See? He' going to make it look like Muslims are responsible so he can start a holy war. Izzat genius, or what? This totally new idea is all my own so don't try to steal it. I'm already casting the movie in my head. I'm thinking Powers Boothe for the CEO/General. Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at June 30, 2013 11:55 AM (aOnaK) Can't you find a way to make him both a oil company CEO or a four star general? You should also make him a "white Hispanic" from Texas while you're at it. And it should be start a holy war AND take over the government. And try to work global warming in there somewhere.

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 08:09 AM (zpNwC)

39 "...mainstream media reporting of this trial has been quite different than what Andrew has been tweeting. "

***

Just wait for the HBO movie.

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 30, 2013 08:10 AM (VlXYw)

40 Well I hope I live long enough to read all 6. Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 12:09 PM (lZvxr) Aw shucks, :-)

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 30, 2013 08:10 AM (XIxXP)

41 "If the Judge does not dismiss the case it is proof that a legal lynching is taking place."

If this judges clone was sitting on the jury, she would disregard her own jury instructions to render a guilty verdict. She's a joke.

Posted by: lowandslow at June 30, 2013 08:10 AM (Fz2C7)

42 Good racin on TNT, NASCAR was rained out last night. Cars are set up for night racin, started at noon, should be fun to watch.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 30, 2013 08:12 AM (XIxXP)

43 Speaking of books, wasn't Paula Deen dropped by her publisher, even though it looks as if her new book would be #1 or so on Amazon?

What's with that?

Posted by: HH at June 30, 2013 08:12 AM (XXwdv)

44 Absolutely OT: Rewards go to those who seize the initiative and take the opportunities when they arrive. Also OT: Apparently, Auburn has had issues with its COB trying to kill its PFM program. My view is that the university, and even more so,the state of Alabama could truly gain--truly gain, if you will--if it kept that program open. After all, Alabama is becoming a major player in aerospace,what with Airbus and Huntsville, and Auburn is an extremely attractive place to be. It surely could draw in people if it made sure it kept the full gamut of aerospace education, at the levels needed. After the stalwart actions of Senator Sessions on immigration, I personally have very warm feelings for the state and would hate to see it lose such a jewel as its PMF program, esp. due to lack of qualified aerospace professors.

Posted by: The Red Baron at June 30, 2013 08:12 AM (Kv3Sp)

45 Video: Julian Assange Praises 'Hero' Snowden, Rebukes U.S. 'Disgraceful' Treatment On ABC This Week http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2013/06/video-julian-assange-praises-hero.html

Posted by: Steve at June 30, 2013 08:13 AM (GSwIn)

46 Speaking of books, wasn't Paula Deen dropped by her publisher, even though it looks as if her new book would be #1 or so on Amazon? What's with that? Posted by: HH at June 30, 2013 12:12 PM (XXwdv) It means her cut of the profits just went way up.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 30, 2013 08:13 AM (XIxXP)

47

Finished "The Caretaker."  Awful, rotten ending.  Don't bother.  It's like he just gave up.

 

Started "Dereliction of Duty" and "The Looking Spoon" from last week's Moron recommendations.  With "Dereliction," you forget how loathsome Slick Willy was/is.

Posted by: RushBabe at June 30, 2013 08:14 AM (qkZxk)

48 Video: Julian Assange Praises 'Hero' Snowden, Rebukes U.S. 'Disgraceful' Treatment On ABC This Week Assange should have had his brains blown out by a sniper when he was standing on that balcony talkin shit.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 30, 2013 08:14 AM (XIxXP)

49 My thriller is going to be about a secret racist TV chef who publishes a cookbook with recipes designed to kill black people.  A character based on Al Sharpton will out her, stop publication of the cookbook, and save many lives.  The villain will be named Georgette Zimmerman, a half Jewish, half white, half Hispanic culinary vigilante. I'll call it Cooking for Crackas.

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 30, 2013 08:15 AM (VlXYw)

50 And the President of the United States, who used this killing to foment racial hatred, will have blood on his hands, as will his enablers and fellow race-gaiters in the media. If there was any justice it would be NBC that burns, not Florida.

Posted by: Ray Van Dune at June 30, 2013 12:05 PM (qIFL7)


Its almost as if the prick has community organizer thug in his resume.

Posted by: Berserker at June 30, 2013 08:15 AM (FMbng)

51 Mr Underwood
I hate the title, loved the preview, like your attitude.

Posted by: Skandia Recluse at June 30, 2013 08:20 AM (O7nfx)

52 All those books are missing a crucial ingredient - European neo-Nazis. At least work Vlaams Belang in there

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at June 30, 2013 08:20 AM (QTHTd)

53 Book recommendation: 1491 by Mann. Challenges every thing you were taught in school about the Americas before Columbus. Dense with info and heavily referenced but worth the effort.

Posted by: Tom w at June 30, 2013 08:21 AM (sSdsd)

54

Finished: Bradley Martin's __Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader__, a history of the Obama presidency North Korean Kim dynasty.

Currently, Andrew Coulson's __Market Education__.

Next up: __Tombstone, the Great Chinese Famine, 1958-1962__, by Yang Jisheng, Edward Friedman, Stacy Mosher and Jian Guo . 

Posted by: Malcolm Kirkpatrick at June 30, 2013 08:21 AM (VR8af)

55 Julian Assange still living in a broom closet in an Ecuadorian embassy?
I could look it up, but it's not really that important.

Posted by: Skandia Recluse at June 30, 2013 08:22 AM (O7nfx)

56 1491 by Mann

Ooh, this was a good one, an equal-opportunity offender. I second that recommendation. You should follow that up with Peter Watson, The Great Divide.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at June 30, 2013 08:24 AM (QTHTd)

57 I'll call it Cooking for Crackas.
How about To Serve Blackman?

Posted by: andycanuck at June 30, 2013 08:25 AM (9+vDU)

58 Things might get ugly in the Sanford/Orlando/I-4 corridor but FL is not going to "burn". I don't know how many of you have ever actually lived down here but FL, especially Central FL, is pretty damn redneck. The authorities and the locals are pretty well armed and neither are inclined to put up with a lot of shit. We don't just shoot back-we shoot first.

For fuck's sake don't ya'll remember that all coot blasting away in the internet cafe.....that's Florida.

Posted by: the guy that moves pianos for a living... at June 30, 2013 08:25 AM (Nl4r1)

59 "With "Dereliction," you forget how loathsome Slick Willy was/is." -------------------------------------- While, admittedly, a great movie, I felt physically ill watching Blackhawk Down. The utter senlessness of the wasting of those soldier's lives is mind boggling. I haven't been able to bring myself to watch it since. Les Aspin at least had the decency to resign in disgrace. Who does that anymore? BJ Clinton and his wife are sociopaths.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at June 30, 2013 08:26 AM (aOnaK)

60 For fuck's sake don't ya'll remember that all coot blasting away in the internet cafe.....that's Florida. Posted by: the guy that moves pianos for a living... at June 30, 2013 12:25 PM (Nl4r1) Yeah, good point, NY, CHicago, LA, look the heck out.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 30, 2013 08:26 AM (XIxXP)

61 "old coot" that is

Posted by: the guy that moves pianos for a living... at June 30, 2013 08:27 AM (Nl4r1)

62 "And the President of the United States, who used this killing to foment racial hatred, will have blood on his hands, as will his enablers and fellow race-gaiters in the media. If there was any justice it would be NBC that burns, not Florida. Posted by: Ray Van Dune If there were justice, it would be that the Affirmative Action Presnit, his AG Eric Holder, Al Sharpton and Benjamin Crump were found complicit in NBC's efforts to foment racial discord and violence for political gain. The aforementioned pissants would be impeached, stripped of any and all pay and benefits, and be imprisoned for the next 25 years. NBC would be denied broadcast rights and the people responsible for the publication and dissemination of the St. Skittles meme would join their political cronies in jail.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 30, 2013 08:28 AM (57bzg)

63 While, admittedly, a great movie, I felt physically ill watching Blackhawk Down. The utter senlessness of the wasting of those soldier's lives is mind boggling. I haven't been able to bring myself to watch it since. Les Aspin at least had the decency to resign in disgrace. Who does that anymore? My best Friend, a marine was there. He told me how rough the place was but they had armor. After the Marines were pulled the Army came in without armor. Thus problems ensued.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 30, 2013 08:28 AM (XIxXP)

64 >> I hate the title, loved the preview, like your attitude. Thanks! 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

Posted by: Frank Underwood (D-SC) at June 30, 2013 08:29 AM (fscec)

65 Rereading "Unintended Consequences" by John Ross. In paperback. (I cant afford the $200.00 to $300.00 for a used hard cover.) It's 861 pages. Primarily centered around Second Amendment rights. It's thrilling, educational and disturbing at the same time. (This book is available to download for free.) I had to get the dead tree edition. $30.00 each. Molan Labe!

Posted by: RoyK at June 30, 2013 08:29 AM (JBlXu)

66 My favorite part of that video is toward the end when he starts getting the little wrist snap as he fires--like he is in an old 30's gangster flic. I always narrate than in my Edward G voice. "Take that! and that! and some of that! see!"

Posted by: the guy that moves pianos for a living... at June 30, 2013 08:30 AM (Nl4r1)

67 Posted by: Tom w at June 30, 2013 12:21 PM (sSdsd)


Thanks, just checked and my local library has that book.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 08:30 AM (lZvxr)

68 Speaking of new books, here is one Obama would love.

http://tinyurl.com/pdpnuk8

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 30, 2013 08:33 AM (VlXYw)

69 I don't think you will see NYC burn. For all their goofy liberalism, they take private property seriously, and the police commish is a heavy duty statist, like Nanny Bloomberg.

Posted by: real joe at June 30, 2013 08:34 AM (PD2ad)

70 Oh, just wanted to mention Richard Matheson  who died this past week.


Loved his stories and books.


If ya'll have ever seen the made for TV movie "Duel", he first published it in Playboy. In his intro, he said much of what occurred in the story actually happened to him on a drive through NM.

Yeah yeah, I'm one of those fools who actually did read some of the articles and stories in Playboy.

Well, afterwords anyhow...


>

Posted by: HH at June 30, 2013 08:36 AM (XXwdv)

71 Andrew Branca mentioned in the comments at Legalinsurrection that he's a Moron, mostly a lurker. I've sent off for his book. No one wants to end up in Zimmerman's situation.

Posted by: stace at June 30, 2013 08:36 AM (WY3bD)

72 Thank you again for the Sun Book Threads. I pore over each thread and have learned so much--and have found so many fantastic recommendations from You Guys. At someone's suggestion, I searched online and found a free read of Jack Vance's sci-fy short story, "Sail." It's real easy to see where the Deep Space 9 writers drew from with their Kontiki-like father/son bonding trip aboard a solar sail vehicle. The main character is great--the movie version should have a thoroughly pissed Robert Duvall for the lead role.

Posted by: GIL, formerly Guy In London at June 30, 2013 08:36 AM (dniUc)

73 (This book is available to download for free.) I had to get the dead tree edition. $30.00 each. Molan Labe!

Posted by: RoyK at June 30, 2013 12:29 PM (JBlXu)



Where can you get it free?  Amazon doesn't have a Kindle version.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 08:38 AM (lZvxr)

74 Ace I think you are missing the clever strategy of the media. Remember they are already on the hook for stating that this was a racist murder of a harmless black child. That's their story. Now if the jury convicts (and juries and judges can do anything), the media will have said in advance that the state's witnesses were awesome and will announce with great self-congratulation that the jury merely confirmed the verdict rendered months ago by the media themselves. If the judge dismisses or the jury renders a verdict of innocent, the media will say how tragic it was that the testimony of such an awesome witness was dismissed due to racial prejudice. Their narrative of gross racism stays intact whatever the outcome of the trial by saying that the state's case was strong. The only way they end up looking like the lying pricks that they are is by admitting that this case should never have been brought. JeffM

Posted by: JeffM at June 30, 2013 08:38 AM (ehEuI)

75 Yeah I can see parts of florida burning, but there will be a shitload of stuff burning across the country. First off, the JEF won't be able to contain himself and probably say the jurors acted stupidly, and there isn't justice for the "son that looks like him". You know its going to happen, he can't help himself.

Posted by: Berserker at June 30, 2013 08:39 AM (FMbng)

76 Assange should have had his brains blown out by a sniper when he was standing on that balcony talkin shit.

Our lawless government has already done more damage to America than a million Snowdens and Assanges could ever dream of doing.

Posted by: 3 martini lunch at June 30, 2013 08:39 AM (uPbpg)

77 Been tuning in every day to the trial. Turned it on late the day after Precious Jeantel had testified and literally thought I must have missed the prosecution resting its case when I listened to the witness on the stand.

Posted by: UWP at June 30, 2013 08:40 AM (r98SZ)

78 If ya'll have ever seen the made for TV movie "Duel", he first published it in Playboy.

***

I read Playboy for the pictures.

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 30, 2013 08:41 AM (VlXYw)

79 Well kids, I'm gonna watch the race, later.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 30, 2013 08:43 AM (XIxXP)

80 Let the whole country burn! As long as it's in their own neighborhoods, let them set their houses and business on fire. Of course, afterwards, we'll get a lecture from the jackass in chief about how racist we are and be taxed to replenish what was looted.

Posted by: waldo at June 30, 2013 08:44 AM (hc19V)

81 Its bad enough the hispanics are going to take all the jobs from blacks.
Is it possible they are gonna get away with murdering blacks also?

Posted by: Big Ben at June 30, 2013 08:45 AM (I5Htn)

82 65 Rereading "Unintended Consequences" by John Ross. In paperback. (I cant afford the $200.00 to $300.00 for a used hard cover.) It's 861 pages. Primarily centered around Second Amendment rights. It's thrilling, educational and disturbing at the same time. (This book is available to download for free.) I had to get the dead tree edition. $30.00 each. Molan Labe! Posted by: RoyK at June 30, 2013 12:29 PM (JBlXu) I can't seem to find this free download of which you speak. If it's not a legal source then don't bother telling me. My reading backlog is so big there is no reason for me to get something by less than legal means.

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 08:45 AM (zpNwC)

83 Yeah I can see parts of florida burning, but there will be a shitload of stuff burning across the country. First off, the JEF won't be able to contain himself and probably say the jurors acted stupidly, and there isn't justice for the "son that looks like him". You know its going to happen, he can't help himself. Posted by: Berserker You can bet that if there is Black vs White violence, the Affirmative Action Presnit will deploy the DHS and martial law will follow shortly thereafter in those locales. Captain Zero and his minions have been planting the seeds of that kind of civil unrest since they came to office. That's the principle tactic they've been schooled in.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 30, 2013 08:46 AM (57bzg)

84 This trial is akin to shooting a guy, and as a defense to the case bringing in witnesses to affirm that you shot the guy.

Posted by: UWP at June 30, 2013 08:46 AM (r98SZ)

85 That "Sail" would make a great link to send to any active Service sci-fi swabbies. I just tried to link with tinyurl in my nick and am now learning about how people become banned. Oh, crap! Am I in that bloody, scummy, barrell again?? Things weren't difficult when I was a lurker. Re: the short story--search it yourself--it's not hard to find. Ai, yi, yi.

Posted by: GIL, formerly Guy In London at June 30, 2013 08:47 AM (dniUc)

86 BornLib, try downloading it from www dot shtfinfo dot com.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 30, 2013 08:47 AM (57bzg)

87 69 I don't think you will see NYC burn. For all their goofy liberalism, they take private property seriously, and the police commish is a heavy duty statist, like Nanny Bloomberg. Posted by: real joe at June 30, 2013 12:34 PM (PD2ad) Provided you don't have a business that OWS wants to take a shit on or smash up.

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 08:49 AM (zpNwC)

88 "As long as it's in their own neighborhoods, let them set their houses and business on fire."


Problem is, it won't be just that. I've been through it before in L.A. It has a tendency to spread, unless you are the Beverly Hills Police Dept., who stopped anyone coming into their  city limits if you didn't have a local address on your drivers license.


And Martial Law is no fun either.

Posted by: HH at June 30, 2013 08:49 AM (XXwdv)

89 Read From Russia With Love, a fine Bond thriller, not at all comedic or cheesy. I'd give it 4 of 5 stars. Now to rent the movie and see if there's any similarity. 'Moonraker' with Roger Moore was a cheesy comedy with passing resemblance to the book. Read Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, which has been mentioned here. It was a real page-turner, finished it in a couple of days. The setup is stupid - global warming 25 years from now has screwed up the planet, the economy's a wreck and most people seem to spend much of their lives playing an online MMO. But the story is fast-paced fun for people who remember technology and movies from the 80's. Though reading comments on Goodreads it does have quite a few unimpressed detractors.

Posted by: waelse1 at June 30, 2013 08:52 AM (Luo04)

90 During the questioning of  Rachel Jeantel by the defense attorney I believe I heard the judge instruct him to move on to the next line of questions, after the gentile miss Jeantel sat with her mouth agape and rolled her eye up into the back of her head, struggling to put two English words  together to form the start of a coherent sentence. 

Posted by: Bufalobob at June 30, 2013 08:53 AM (hJg3R)

91 I found a site that supposedly had it for download but it kept kicking me out.  I gather it is some kind of pirate site as well so I left it.


I went to the John Ross site and he has no e-version.  He does have the paperback version available for $30 + $10 SnH.  If he had an e-version he has retracted it for selling the paperback version.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 08:54 AM (lZvxr)

92 Many construction jobs that were traditionally held by blacks were lost by the influx of cheap illegal labor from Mexico. They drove the salaries down so no one could compete and it became one more job Americans refused to do... Where were the fucking black civil rights groups then???

Posted by: waldo at June 30, 2013 08:54 AM (hc19V)

93 damn it. Too many books to read and TODAY ONLY I see Amazon has the 3 books of the Mongoliad on kindle sale for 99 cents each. Some big name SF writers involved in this. Must Buy or Missable?

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at June 30, 2013 08:55 AM (5YUSx)

94 I read Unintended Consequences several years ago. Bought the hard cover when it was pretty cheap and still have it. They want $200-$300? I'd be surprised if anyone is paying that much for it though.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at June 30, 2013 08:55 AM (V1ZIU)

95 Great. I finally managed to get off my butt and go out to mow the lawn. The minute I walked outside it started raining. At first it was only a little, so I forged ahead. By the time I got halfway through the front yard, it really opened up. So here I am again.

Posted by: rickl at June 30, 2013 08:57 AM (sdi6R)

96 Must Buy or Missable?

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at June 30, 2013 12:55 PM (5YUSx)



As I posted with the morning news this is about the 3rd time they have had them as a Daily Deal.  They will probably be back, but at only $1 each if you are interested you should go ahead and get them.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 08:57 AM (lZvxr)

97 I would like to point out that the American Legal system convicts 90% of the defendants in Criminal trials, and that DNA has shown that it convicts 90% of the innocent people just as effectively.

In other words there is a 90% chance Zimmerman will be convicted. Having actually seen someone I knew was innocent get convicted on really flimsy evidence I don't like his chances.

In Harris county TX the prosecution has lost exactly one capital case in the history of the county; and that happened when the prosecution's own expert testified that it was not the defendant's voice on the tape ordering the hit.

Some trials are predetermined - a Capital case in Texas, The OJ verdict, and sadly to say - the Zimmerman case.

Posted by: [/i] [/b] [/u] [/s] An Observation at June 30, 2013 08:58 AM (ylhEn)

98 So here I am again.

***

Wastin' away in Moronavitaville.

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 30, 2013 08:59 AM (VlXYw)

99 I'm not worried about the riots where I'm at, so bring it on. I'll enjoy watching the looters get shot on TV, hopefully.

Posted by: UWP at June 30, 2013 08:59 AM (r98SZ)

100 "While, admittedly, a great movie, I felt physically ill watching Blackhawk Down. The utter senlessness of the wasting of those soldier's lives is mind boggling. I haven't been able to bring myself to watch it since. Les Aspin at least had the decency to resign in disgrace. Who does that anymore?"

The backstory is more sordid. Aspin was having severe health issues and resigned for that essentially personal reason. This was then spun to the public as "accountability" over Mogadishu. If he had been in better shape he probably would have stayed on as SECDEF. Certainly Billy Jeff didn't give a toss about dead Rangers when there were chubby interns to chase around the desk.

"My best Friend, a marine was there. He told me how rough the place was but they had armor. After the Marines were pulled the Army came in without armor. Thus problems ensued."

Problems not limited to that time and place.

The USA found out in Mogadishu in the early Nineties that fighting an urban guerrilla Muslim insurgency is really hard without suitable armor. The Russians found out in the Nineties that fighting an urban guerrilla Muslim insurgency is really hard without suitable armor. The Israelis found out in the Nineties that fighting an urban guerrilla Muslim insurgency is really hard without suitable armor.

The Russians and the Israelis learned the lesson. Both embarked on crash programs to create improved vehicle designs better suited to getting armor backup for their troops fighting MOUT against jihadis.

The US yawned and went back to watching television and did nothing.

Then the US decided to undertake the mother of all MOUT undertakings by invading and occupying Iraq. Thousands of American service members were then killed and crippled because of inadequate or unsuitable armor.

Cue Santayana on the lessons of history.

Posted by: torquewrench at June 30, 2013 08:59 AM (gqT4g)

101 92 Many construction jobs that were traditionally held by blacks were lost by the influx of cheap illegal labor from Mexico. They drove the salaries down so no one could compete and it became one more job Americans refused to do... Where were the fucking black civil rights groups then??? Posted by: waldo at June 30, 2013 12:54 PM (hc19V) Too busy selling out.

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 08:59 AM (zpNwC)

102 Ref 1491 by Mann. A short version is online. Google for it - it's on the Atlanic web page. It's really good. I'm gonna have to read the book after that sample.

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at June 30, 2013 09:00 AM (5YUSx)

103 "Let the whole country burn! As long as it's in their own neighborhoods, let them set their houses and business on fire"

This.
Most of the blacks who would do this are urban.
Most whites who live in the cities are Democrats who don't believe in the Second Amendment.
Let Them Burn.
WE need to make sure that after all of this goes down, that NO funds are used to rebuild them.
Let them live in the ashes.


Posted by: RayJ at June 30, 2013 09:00 AM (V2EQt)

104 If he gets acquitted, Obama will pull a George HW Bush and indict on Federal charges of some kind, even if there aren't any, he'll find some square peg to fit into the round hole of resentment.

Posted by: Baldy at June 30, 2013 09:01 AM (tyDFN)

105 Vic if you want it I got an answer on the download @ 86

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 09:02 AM (zpNwC)

106 100 Cue Santayana on the lessons of history. Posted by: torquewrench at June 30, 2013 12:59 PM (gqT4g) Or as I like to put it, "Those of us who do remember history are condemned to repeat it anyway, because those who don't are in the majority."

Posted by: rickl at June 30, 2013 09:03 AM (sdi6R)

107 "I believe I heard the judge instruct him to move on to the next line of questions"

You did, the defense was stunned for a minute for having the judge dictate to them how to run their defense. After he realized there wasn't much he could do, he shock his head and moved on.
I watched a few hours of the live action and I always had the feeling that every time the defense had to approach the bench to argue an objection they were just educating the judge on what the law is more then arguing about it. She doesn't come across as all that bright or aware of anything, unless it's about lunch.

Posted by: lowandslow at June 30, 2013 09:03 AM (Fz2C7)

108 The Mann article http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/ archive/2002/03/1491/302445/

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at June 30, 2013 09:03 AM (5YUSx)

109 Good news!  Nanzi Pelosi is looking out for us.

http://tinyurl.com/oc5otuk

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 30, 2013 09:04 AM (VlXYw)

110 Where were the fucking black civil rights groups then???

You know the self-appointed "black leaders" are only out to enrich themselves, right?

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, drinking beer at June 30, 2013 09:04 AM (hO8IJ)

111 Vic if you want it I got an answer on the download @ 86

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 01:02 PM (zpNwC)


I sent a copy to Vic via email.  Contact me through my nic and I'll sent it to you too. Specify epub or mobi.

Posted by: Tunafish at June 30, 2013 09:04 AM (zNgjY)

112 Maybe this time rioters will be nice enough to only loot and burn down NBC and ABC and all those other masters at race baiting and leave the home furnishing, liquor and appliance stores alone. What are the chances of that?

Posted by: Mr. Feverhead at June 30, 2013 09:07 AM (SzAZ7)

113 Thanks for the offer Tunafish. Got it covered.

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 09:08 AM (zpNwC)

114

I'm interviewing ghost writers to work on Barack Does Africa, a thrilling description of my fabulously successful trip.  Employment will be as an intern, and compensation will be the privileged of meeting with me and my sycophants.

Posted by: President Barack Joffe Joffer at June 30, 2013 09:08 AM (uPdH6)

115 Recently finished "Live by Night" by Dennis Lehane. Good story about prohibition era gangsters and rum runners. Good writing but somewhat lacking a point. I'd recommend with the caveat that the ending was a bit unsatisfying.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at June 30, 2013 09:08 AM (aOnaK)

116 Unfortunately, I think Zimmerman will be convicted. If you're a juror, you aren't paid squat, everyone knows who you are because you sit right there in court everyday, and you know your town will burn and you will be a target if there's an acquittal. Fuck it, just vote guilty and get out of there. It's not like you have to go to prison.

Posted by: Ted K. at June 30, 2013 09:08 AM (SdUl3)

117 Vic if you want it I got an answer on the download @ 86

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 01:02 PM (zpNwC)


OK, got it from there as a pdf.  I sure hope nobody will come knocking on my door.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 09:10 AM (lZvxr)

118 I sure hope nobody will come knocking on my door.

Come to Canada!

Posted by: The RCMP at June 30, 2013 09:13 AM (uLzrM)

119 All of your PDFs are belong to us.

Posted by: The RCMP at June 30, 2013 09:14 AM (uLzrM)

120 BTW, is that image at the top an Oleg Volk work?

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 09:15 AM (zpNwC)

121 I sent a copy to Vic via email. Contact me through my nic and I'll sent it to you too. Specify epub or mobi.

Posted by: Tunafish at June 30, 2013 01:04 PM (zNgjY)




ooh, the Kindle version, thanks.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 09:15 AM (lZvxr)

122 Concerning the regrettable death of Vince Flynn, never fear because his publisher has no doubt already recruited ghost writers to continue the Rapp stories for decades to come. This is the way publishing works today, as evidenced by the continuing flow of works by "Robert Ludlum," who in fact died twelve years ago. I recall that in the first couple of posthumous works the endpaper bios continued to say that Ludlum "lives in Florida." Well, perhaps in spirit.

In the same vein Lawrence Sanders (died 15 years ago) "wrote" a half dozen more volumes in his popular McNally series right up to 2006, thanks to a ghost. Popular characters of many other deceased authors continue to live on in this same way, and I suspect Rapp will as well.

BTW, I read one of Flynn's last Rapp books, Kill Shot, the week he died. Now re-reading Clancy's The Bear and the Dragon.

Posted by: Ruthless at June 30, 2013 09:15 AM (Aucg0)

123 I think any riots will likely be short-lived. Longer term, I expect to see more black-on-white attacks, sometimes called the "knockout game". "Thass justice for Trayvon, mofucka!" But totally not a hate crime.

Posted by: rickl at June 30, 2013 09:15 AM (sdi6R)

124 It was Zimmerman's gun and Zimmerman has admitted to killing Trayvon; the only legal question is can the jury be convinced that the shooting was self defense?

Here is Zimmerman's problem: in cases of self defense the burden of proof shifts from the prosecution to the defense - and that is a tough row to hoe. It is hard enough for the prosecutor with all the resources of the state behind him to carry the burden of proof - it is way more difficult for an individual defendant with no resources to speak of to do so.


Posted by: [/i] [/b] [/u] [/s] An Observation at June 30, 2013 09:16 AM (ylhEn)

125 I have been following Andrew.. his tweets and legal insurection.. I have no idea what world some people are living in.. that girl is now being portrayed in the media as bi lingual! She is soooooo smart.. you rubes just cant understand her because of your bigotry. Meh.. let em riot.. they will loot and pillage their own neighborhoods. They arent coming to my heavily armed suburb. They will show their anger in the form of stealing Nike shoes.. and plasma tv's. The blatant manipulation of blacks by the left/media...never ceases to amaze me.

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at June 30, 2013 09:17 AM (DGIjM)

126 Does anybody here know about The Wayback Machine? If so, please verify if this is real or not. Thanks. http://tinyurl.com/3d84ro3

Posted by: political correctness czar commenting from the West side of the Middle East at June 30, 2013 09:17 AM (Q2Ne0)

127 Or as I like to put it, 'Those of us who do remember history are condemned to repeat it anyway, because those who don't are in the majority.'"

An elegant summation.

It galls me when our men and women in uniform die for no good reason because the flag ranks at the Pentagon aren't paying attention to anything other than their golf games and their post-retirement corporate board seats.

Because, y'know, we PAY those folks to do things like lessons-learned. It's their JOB. At least that is what they are supposed to be doing, but usually are not.

A few years ago, after the Cold War ended, an officer from Ft. Leavenworth named Lester Grau went to Russia. To Frunze, which has been a center of professional military education in Russia from czarist times, through the Soviet Red Army years, and on into the post-Soviet era.

He found that they had collected a considerable body of hard-learned lessons about fighting the mujahideen in Afghanistan, about what worked and more importantly, about what did not work. Plenty of stuff about the nasty surprises the locals have been pulling since Alexander the Great was a pup. He collected and translated and published all of it in English once he got back to the States.

I remembered that book around the time the US went into Afghanistan in '02, and I dug it up and re-read it. To my horror I then read endless contemporaneous reports out of Afghanistan wherein Americans had come home in body bags, or alive but burned or blinded or limbless, after having been taken unawares by _exactly the same muj tactics_ as had been used against the Sovs.

Apparently no one in the command structure of the US Army could be bothered to take two hours to read and absorb lessons that the Russians had paid considerable blood and treasure to learn, and that the US Army itself had then paid to translate and print and propagate.

Just absolutely infuriating and depressing. I still find myself grinding my teeth and balling my fists when I think about it.

Posted by: torquewrench at June 30, 2013 09:17 AM (gqT4g)

128 126 Dr. Peabody and Sherman?

Posted by: Tuna at June 30, 2013 09:20 AM (M/TDA)

129 10 #7 I highly recommend Agatha Christie.
Posted by: Miss Marple
-------------------

I too, can say that Mme. Christe's books are the most excellent reading.

Posted by: Hecule Poirot at June 30, 2013 09:26 AM (aDwsi)

130 that girl is now being portrayed in the media as bi lingual! She is soooooo smart.. you rubes just cant understand her because of your bigotry

These lily white, bleeding heart suburban liberals have so obviously never been anywhere near the true urban ghetto environment. I'm exposed to it on a weekly basis and I can tell you that this girl is a poster child. I could also tell them that she would just as soon spit on them as look at them. Of course, they'll continue to live in their skittles and unicorns fantasy world, nonetheless.   

Posted by: The Third Horseman Of The Apocalypse at June 30, 2013 09:28 AM (uLzrM)

131 I have no idea what world some people are living in.. that girl is now being portrayed in the media as bi lingual! She is soooooo smart.. you rubes just cant understand her because of your bigotry. Yes, she can say "crazy ass cracka!" in three languages: crazy ass cracka! cracka culo loco! fou cracka de cul!

Posted by: waldo at June 30, 2013 09:29 AM (hc19V)

132 Does anybody here know about The Wayback Machine? If so, please verify if this is real or not.

archive.org snapshots sites at various intervals.  They're legit.

The Kenyan born claim about Obama sees somewhat common usage in the African press.  This is not the only instance of it. 

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at June 30, 2013 09:30 AM (/gHaE)

133 Most self defense cases never get to trial; the prosecutor agrees it a case of self defense and declines to prosecute. If a case goes to trial the state wins 90% of the time.

That is just how the system works. Juries believe the police and the state - criminal defendants are not credible. In general the prosecution really has to screw up horribly to lose a case. I haven't seen any monumental prosecutorial blunders here; no lying cops perjuring themselves - no gloves that don't fit. Hard to screw up this case if you're a prosecutor.
 


Posted by: [/i] [/b] [/u] [/s] An Observation at June 30, 2013 09:31 AM (ylhEn)

134 Just like Trademark, who missed most of the school year due to absences, lateness, and suspensions, but was going to be a pilot because he went to an aviation museum once, Genetalia will be a supreme court justice because she once came to court.

Posted by: waldo at June 30, 2013 09:32 AM (hc19V)

135 Here is Zimmerman's problem: in cases of self defense the burden of proof shifts from the prosecution to the defense - and that is a tough row to hoe. It is hard enough for the prosecutor with all the resources of the state behind him to carry the burden of proof - it is way more difficult for an individual defendant with no resources to speak of to do so.


Posted by: An Observation at June 30, 2013 01:16 PM (ylhEn)

 

Isn't that why Zimmerman chose not to do the Stand Your Ground hearing?  Because the burden of proof would be even more on him.

Posted by: buzzion at June 30, 2013 09:33 AM (LI48c)

136 134 Just like Trademark, who missed most of the school year due to absences, lateness, and suspensions, but was going to be a pilot because he went to an aviation museum once, Genetalia will be a supreme court justice because she once came to court. Posted by: waldo at June 30, 2013 01:32 PM (hc19V) That's retarded, sir!

Posted by: Rachel Jeantel at June 30, 2013 09:33 AM (hc19V)

137 A memory of 'Bonfire of the Vanities' stirs...

Posted by: Mike Hammer at June 30, 2013 09:35 AM (aDwsi)

138 So i got this great idea for a suspense novel I wanna write. This Fanatical Rightwing Christian--I haven't decided whether he an oil company CEO or a four star general--plots a nuclear or biological terrorist attack. But there's a twist. See? He' going to make it look like Muslims are responsible so he can start a holy war. Izzat genius, or what?

This totally new idea is all my own so don't try to steal it. I'm already casting the movie in my head. I'm thinking Powers Boothe for the CEO/General.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at June 30, 2013 11:55 AM (aOnaK)



Don't forget to make him a closeted queer too

Posted by: TheQuietMan at June 30, 2013 09:35 AM (TGA2G)

139 Obligatory self-promotion: Books 1 - 7 of my sci-fi epic are available from Booktango at a most reasonable price:

http://bookstore.booktango.com/Products/ SKU-000666999/Worlds-Apart-Book-06.aspx

Posted by: Gregory of Yardale at June 30, 2013 09:36 AM (dF8d/)

140 y133 Most self defense cases never get to trial; the prosecutor agrees it a case of self defense and declines to prosecute. If a case goes to trial the state wins 90% of the time. That is just how the system works. Juries believe the police and the state - criminal defendants are not credible. In general the prosecution really has to screw up horribly to lose a case. I haven't seen any monumental prosecutorial blunders here; no lying cops perjuring themselves - no gloves that don't fit. Hard to screw up this case if you're a prosecutor. Posted by: An Observation at June 30, 2013 01:31 PM (ylhEn) I practiced in a very conservative community yet when it came to self defense cases, the juries always favored the defense. Jury instructions be damned! But that was the late 80s and in CA.

Posted by: Rachel Jeantel at June 30, 2013 09:37 AM (hc19V)

141 When my manuscript on the burgeoning Amish threat is made into a movie, it'll be a blockbuster. 

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at June 30, 2013 09:38 AM (/gHaE)

142 141 When my manuscript on the burgeoning Amish threat is made into a movie, it'll be a blockbuster. Posted by: Purp at June 30, 2013 01:38 PM (/gHaE) If you had gone with Mormon that movie would have been out last year.

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 09:44 AM (zpNwC)

143 _______________________________

There are some Bonfire of the Vanities echoes in this Martin Zimmerman case.

Consider some of the common themes: "white privilege", race hustling, and dead thugs being portrayed as innocent "lamb" victims.






Posted by: _Dave_ at June 30, 2013 09:46 AM (J+Q+d)

144 Re: 122 & Ghost Writers Robert B. Parker's posthumous ghosts are surprisingly good. (Tough act to follow.) Mario Puzzo's are OK. Don Winslow did an authorized follow-up to Trevanian's "Shibumi" called "Satori." Also surprisingly good.

Posted by: Doug at June 30, 2013 09:46 AM (g6gb7)

145 Yes, she can say "crazy ass cracka!" in three languages: crazy ass cracka! cracka culo loco! fou cracka de cul! Posted by: waldo at June 30, 2013 01:29 PM (hc19V) impressive. Why Harvard hasnt snatched up this fine citizen is beyond me.

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at June 30, 2013 09:47 AM (DGIjM)

146 _______________________________

@137:

Damn, Hammer! You beat me to it!



Posted by: _Dave_ at June 30, 2013 09:48 AM (J+Q+d)

147 Posted by: Purp at June 30, 2013 01:38 PM (/gHaE)



And the title of this soon to be blockbuster???

Posted by: HH at June 30, 2013 09:49 AM (XXwdv)

148
That is just how the system works. Juries believe the police and the state - criminal defendants are not credible. In general the prosecution really has to screw up horribly to lose a case. I haven't seen any monumental prosecutorial blunders here; no lying cops perjuring themselves - no gloves that don't fit. Hard to screw up this case if you're a prosecutor.

Trying to question the credibility of their own witness on redirect....in front of the jury. That's a pretty big deal. Putting another witness on the stand that claimed to have heard three shots. Not wise. The fact that most testimony on cross examination seems to favor the defense.

Based on what I've seen so far, the prosecution doesn't seem to have a lot to go on.

Lastly, if Z is the racist evil thug the prosecution is trying to depict him as, why did Z stay on the phone with the cops, asking them to hurry? Why did Z cooperate so completely with the police following the shooting? At the time, he would have no idea what witnesses there might have been, what cameras in the area might have shown, and if he was indeed hunting down TM to kill him, seems odd to do so knowing that the cops were on the way, and that they might also be in a position to witness his dastardly crime.


Posted by: Sticky Wicket at June 30, 2013 09:49 AM (0IhFx)

149 145 The liberal children of privilege would flock to her classes.

Posted by: Tuna at June 30, 2013 09:50 AM (M/TDA)

150 Wow, an incredibly scathing critique of Rachel Jeantel and how she came to be what she is...

...by a black woman.  Also taken to the woodshed for a sound whipping are Ebony and GlobalGrind

http://tinyurl.com/qxbcmds


Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at June 30, 2013 09:51 AM (/gHaE)

151 149 145 The liberal children of privilege would flock to her classes. Posted by: Tuna at June 30, 2013 01:50 PM (M/TDA) After they take their 'blinglish' requirement.

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at June 30, 2013 09:52 AM (DGIjM)

152 I hate the Sunday book threads. It makes me spend money.


And in that vein, Gregory of Yardale, your link didn't work for me.

Posted by: GGE of the Moron Horde, NC Chapter at June 30, 2013 09:53 AM (yh0zB)

153 As disgusting as it is, there is no way these hack prosecutors will ever stop pushing or that hack judge will ever dismiss. Far, far, far too political, and they have shown no ethics or guts yet to do the right thing. Why would we ever expect them to do the right thing when the rubber is really hitting the road? A total travesty that I really find hard posting about and thinking about. There but for the grace of God...

Posted by: RM at June 30, 2013 09:54 AM (/Frlf)

154

OT

 

read at This Aint Hell, CNN is reporting that a couple hundred US Marines are on standby to help Morsi.  Cause the JEF is all in for Muslim Brotherhood

Posted by: thunderb at June 30, 2013 09:54 AM (zOTsN)

155

Gregory of Yardsdale's next two Worlds Apart books (the 6th and 7th) are now available.

 

The proofreading wasn't particularly improved but for $3.00 each I'm not as worried about that (although I'd still prefer clean copy as obvious spelling mistakes  or "spell-check error"  take me out of the story).

 

Both stories were interesting and further the over-all storyline while maintaining the homages  and  amusing dialog. I thought the 6th was a little short and there was one plotline  that didn't get resolved as clearly as I would have liked but those are my only complaints.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette, assault Hobbit at June 30, 2013 09:56 AM (D8tPj)

156 Of course, they'll continue to live in their skittles and unicorns fantasy world, nonetheless.
The MSM isn't deluded, they're  just breaking a few eggs..

Posted by: cmate4352 at June 30, 2013 09:56 AM (gCaU+)

157 Nelson DeMille, did one, in his John Corey tale, Wildfire, as did a British journalist, Tom Cain in the Survivor, the latter is an oil man from Texas, who
is driven after a near death experience in Alaska, actually a failed assasination attempt by the protagonist, a former royal marine turned 'specialist' drives to try to trigger a holy war.

Posted by: Admiral Layton at June 30, 2013 09:56 AM (Jsiw/)

158 Rachel "That's retarded sir" Jeantel's neck is bigger than my waist

Posted by: TheQuietMan at June 30, 2013 09:56 AM (TGA2G)

159 "Wow, an incredibly scathing critique of Rachel Jeantel and how she came to be what she is..." The truth sucks doesn't it? The sad part is that she is the norm and not the exception.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 30, 2013 09:57 AM (57bzg)

160 152 I hate the Sunday book threads. It makes me spend money. And in that vein, Gregory of Yardale, your link didn't work for me. Posted by: GGE of the Moron Horde, NC Chapter at June 30, 2013 01:53 PM (yh0zB) Me either.

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 09:57 AM (zpNwC)

161

actually the 200 US Marines are supposed to protect our embassy in Cairo.

 

mmmkkk

Posted by: thunderb at June 30, 2013 09:58 AM (zOTsN)

162 couple hundred US Marines are on standby to help Morsi

...he fell out the door of the chopper by accident.  Honest.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at June 30, 2013 09:58 AM (/gHaE)

163 154 Our Marines??? OMG. Our Marines made to protect that Islamist? I say again OMG.

Posted by: Tuna at June 30, 2013 09:58 AM (M/TDA)

164 Ace up

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 09:59 AM (lZvxr)

165 So we really have switched sides in the War on Terror.

Posted by: rickl at June 30, 2013 10:00 AM (sdi6R)

166 Morsi is the head of state of a nominal ally...but then again, so was Mubarak.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at June 30, 2013 10:01 AM (/gHaE)

167 I saw the pictures of the crowds in Cairo. Scary.

Posted by: Tuna at June 30, 2013 10:01 AM (M/TDA)

168 163 154 Our Marines??? OMG. Our Marines made to protect that Islamist? I say again OMG. Posted by: Tuna at June 30, 2013 01:58 PM (M/TDA) Like thunderb mentioned, here is what This Ain't Hell actually said, "CNN reports that a few hundred Marines are on standby to protect the US embassy in Egypt as riots there intensify to protest the Morsi government"

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 10:02 AM (zpNwC)

169

Also read Duel in Playboy during college years. Really, I did. Awesome, intense short story made into a pretty darn good movie with Dennis Weaver as the guy pursued by the maniac trucker.

 

Thanks for the idea. I'm going to check around for the story and the video on the internet. 

Posted by: RM at June 30, 2013 10:03 AM (/Frlf)

170 Here is Zimmerman's problem: in cases of self defense the burden of proof shifts from the prosecution to the defense - and that is a tough row to hoe. - Not according to the prosecutor: Zimmerman's Low Burden of Proof on the Issue of Self Defense by PROFESSOR WILL HUHN on APRIL 13, 2012 in CRIMINAL LAW,WILSON HUHN In her news conference announcing that George Zimmerman was being charged with second degree murder in the death of Trayvon Martin, Florida Special Prosecutor Angela Corey mentioned several times that self-defense is an "affirmative defense" under Florida law. She also said that "Stand Your Ground" is "a tough affirmative defense to overcome." It will be "tough" for the prosecution because although Zimmerman has to introduce some evidence that he acted in self-defense, that doesn't mean that he has to convince the jury that he acted in self-defense. All he has to do is to create a "reasonable doubt" as to whether he acted in self-defense.

Posted by: UWP at June 30, 2013 10:04 AM (r98SZ)

171 I guess they decided 1 is their limit on the number of ambassadors they can allow to be killed through negligence.

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 10:07 AM (zpNwC)

172 Wow, thanks for the awesome plug! It's a real honor to even be mentioned here, my number one home in blog-space (though I lurk more than post). One cautionary note about OregonMuse's plug, however--the book currently listed on Amazon is a first edition copy published back in 1998, and is being sold by someone unknown to me for an outrageous price. I have no connection with that seller, and would discourage anyone from buying any kind of law book that was 15 years old, especially in the area of the law of self defense, where there's been so much change in that time. The 2nd edition book starts shipping later this week, and up to the date it ships is available on a pre-order basis at my website for 30% off the list price and free shipping. The book won't be available on Amazon until I have caught up with all the patient folks who pre-ordered, so it might be a couple of weeks or so past this week before it's available there (not exactly sure on how that's structured). Even if you're not interested in the book, I have thousands of self defense cases, statutes, jury instructions and more available in full-length totally free at the www.lawofselfdefense.com web site, plus of course a great many blog posts on issues around the law of self defense. These past few weeks, an the next few weeks going forward, it's pretty much all Zimmerman all the time, but otherwise the blog posts are more far ranging. Anyway, thanks again for the plug, and I look forward, as always, to hanging out with all of you here at AOS! --Andrew

Posted by: Law of Self Defense at June 30, 2013 10:12 AM (AgiEl)

173 Re: Marines in Egypt to (do something)

shades of Ngo Dinh Diem
that was also a Democrat President

Nah, Obama would never give the order.
He might hint at it though.

Posted by: Skandia Recluse at June 30, 2013 10:18 AM (OPqP6)

174

Posted by: Gregory of Yardale at June 30, 2013 01:36 PM (dF8d/)

 

If you ever want the basic proofreading cleaned up I'd be thrilled to do it. I'm sure I wouldn't do the perfect job Anachronda does, but the obvious stuff would at least get fixed. You can contact me at the blog I never write on (in nic link).

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette, assault Hobbit at June 30, 2013 10:21 AM (D8tPj)

175 No, Morsi's too useful to him, you reminded me of a review by Mark Moyar,
of a book about Diem, by Edward Miller, that shows many of the myths related to him, that we heard from Halberstam were totally made up, like the notion that he was a puppet of Bao Dai

Posted by: Admiral Layton at June 30, 2013 10:22 AM (Jsiw/)

176 Note to folks that I have been meaning to bring up.  When using the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 and running the power supply cord to your computer USB port, it doesn't supply enough power to keep up with the draw from the tablet.  The battery will still slowly go dead.


I have been meaning to post this for a long time.  You have to use the supplied charger to keep up.  These things suck power.

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 10:31 AM (lZvxr)

177 I was a big fan of Transfer of Power; I thought it was one of the few Vince Flynn books that didn't involve such a huge catastrophe if the bad guys won that there was actual suspense involved.  Flynn was a good thriller writer, but when the bad guys' plan is to nuke DC you know it wasn't going to happen.

I tore my way through Austin Grossman's "You: The Gamer" this week.  If you read his first novel, "Soon I Will be Invincible," you might be disappointed.  The book ends without seeming to resolve much of anything, but getting there is interesting enough.  I also took a tip from a recent Book Thread and started Robert Ferrigno's "Assassin" trilogy.  Highly recommend the first book.

Posted by: notthatGreg at June 30, 2013 10:33 AM (norkA)

178 Can you throw me a link Admiral Layton? I can't seem to find the review.

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 10:33 AM (zpNwC)

179 Ref Vic's Samsung Galaxy tablet.. Can you plug in TWO USB cables or does the tablet only have one USB port?

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at June 30, 2013 10:35 AM (5YUSx)

180 Can you plug in TWO USB cables or does the tablet only have one USB port?

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at June 30, 2013 02:35 PM (5YUSx)


No, only one port.  Are there ANY that have two?

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 10:40 AM (lZvxr)

181

Listened to Nock's Our Enemy the State on TTS yesterday. Interesting discussion of the difference between a "government" and a "State" with his definition of state seeming to be 'the power to coherce others  labor  for one's own benefit'. He has a lot of good points but seems to see everything in terms of  class struggle, so I'm not sure about some parts.

 

Also reading Girl Who Cried Wolf by Robert Ferrigno. More explicit language and situations than I care for (not that that'll be a problem for most of the Horde) but a generally interesting and fairly fast-paced story.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette, assault Hobbit at June 30, 2013 10:41 AM (D8tPj)

182 174 I'm sure I wouldn't do the perfect job Anachronda does...

Aw, shucks!

*blush*

Posted by: Anachronda at June 30, 2013 10:45 AM (U82Km)

183 180 No, only one port. Are there ANY that have two?

I'm not aware of any, but what I *have* seen for some high-powered USB stuff is a special cable that has two connectors on one end so it can draw power from an additional port (it only speaks USB over one connector, but draws power from both).

One particularly annoying example in my possession is a pair of "USB-powered speakers", which I presumed to mean that they were USB speakers that drew power over USB. They're not; their special cable has two USB connectors and a headphone jack on one end. You plug the USB connectors in to get power and the headphone jack in to get audio. Nothing on the box led me to believe they were not USB speakers.

Posted by: Anachronda at June 30, 2013 10:49 AM (U82Km)

184 You might need a Journal subscription to read it:


http://tiny.cc/a78hzw

Posted by: Admiral Layton at June 30, 2013 10:50 AM (Jsiw/)

185

Posted by: Anachronda at June 30, 2013 02:45 PM (U82Km)

 

It's true. Sabrina Chase gives you a lot of credit for the quality of her books. One of the things I *love* about her stories is that I *never* get yanked out of them by obvious errors and she says that is absolutely due to you.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette, assault Hobbit at June 30, 2013 10:52 AM (D8tPj)

186 152 And in that vein, Gregory of Yardale, your link didn't work for me.

Looks like he put  a space in the middle of it to avoid exceeding the hamsters' attention span and drawing the admonition about long strings of text.

Posted by: Anachronda at June 30, 2013 10:53 AM (U82Km)

187 The Way of Kings is one of my favorite fantasy books.  The Mistborn trilogy (and subsequent novel/s) is also quite good.  My only real complaint about Sanderson is that he includes too much detail in his fighting scenes, as if to prove to the magic system nerds that he did indeed think everything through.  That's a minor gripe, though.

Posted by: Long-time Commenter, First-time Reader at June 30, 2013 10:56 AM (pl1y3)

188 127 He found that they had collected a considerable body of hard-learned lessons about fighting the mujahideen in Afghanistan, about what worked and more importantly, about what did not work. Plenty of stuff about the nasty surprises the locals have been pulling since Alexander the Great was a pup. He collected and translated and published all of it in English once he got back to the States.

I remembered that book around the time the US went into Afghanistan in '02, and I dug it up and re-read it.

A link would be nice.

Posted by: Anachronda at June 30, 2013 10:58 AM (U82Km)

189 Personally I found the fight scenes, especially in Mistborn: The Final Empire, to be completely engrossing.

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 11:03 AM (zpNwC)

190 half-way through "Creole Belle" by James Lee Burke-- he's such a great writer and his Dave Robicheaux novels read like movie scripts-- this is just his latest work-- I've read most everything by him and his DR novels are highly recommended-- ruthless bad guys, over-the-line and wound tight cop figures and beautifully descriptive language of Southern Louisiana-- read them!

Posted by: tomc at June 30, 2013 11:07 AM (avEuh)

191 Just finished Barbara Oakley's Cold-Blooded Kindness. Can't remember where I heard about it, but it may have been here.

This is an unusual book, half the story of a killing, and half serious psychological analysis. It doesn't mix the two so much as alternate between them, story, analysis, story, analysis. It starts out with the simplest parts of the story, and the simplest and most well-known psychological concepts. As you go on, it gets deeper and deeper and better and better. The author has a very lively mind, and you get a strong sense of a very smart person seeking widely for truths to be extracted from the world. Anyone who can quote Leo Buscaglia at the beginning of one chapter, and Pat Buchanan at the beginning of another, merely mining for interesting and pertinent things they had to say, not mocking, is certainly on her own path.

The story part is good enough, if not highly accomplished; the psychology part is outstanding. But even the story part surprised me at many turns by suddenly bringing in a fact that changed the reader's perspective.

Definitely recommended if the subject interests you.

Posted by: Splunge at June 30, 2013 11:07 AM (bKA83)

192 I see three books on the subject by Lester W. Grau: The Bear Went Over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics in Afghanistan The Other Side of the Mountain: Mujahideen Tactics in the Soviet Afghan War The Soviet-Afghan War: How a Superpower Fought and Lost

Posted by: BornLib at June 30, 2013 11:07 AM (zpNwC)

193 Wifey just got back from the library with 1491 for me,

Posted by: Vic at June 30, 2013 11:20 AM (lZvxr)

194 I want to thank last week's poster for mentioning "Life at the Bottom" by Timothy Dalyrmple. It's fascinating and I see those same people in this country. I checked out another of his books from the library, but picked up Life at the Bottom as a Kindle edition.

Posted by: notsothoreau at June 30, 2013 11:28 AM (Lqy/e)

195 Reading a history on Norwich. I have a 17 year old rising senior. We live in the other America where you aren't 20 when you graduate from high school.

Posted by: NCKate at June 30, 2013 11:38 AM (Y0+zr)

196 Coming soon to Lifetime...

"Court Nails: The Rachel Jenteal Story"

Posted by: Pakimon at June 30, 2013 01:04 PM (qvPJn)

197 Late to the thread, but I'm reading "The Best of Murray Leinster".  This is old school SF, the book being a collection of stories published between 1934 and 1956.  The anthology was published by Ballantine in 1978.  Ballantine issued a bunch of older SF and fantasy works, most famously, the LoTRs.

A good imprint, their editors had good taste.

I'm only partway through "Sideways in Time", by Leinster, it's a novella, and my reading time is my 1 hour commute, twice a day, M-F.

I'm not recommending the Leinster collection, but am recommending the Ballantine reissue series as a whole.  Will report back when I finish the book.

Posted by: jbarntt at June 30, 2013 03:25 PM (UNFot)

198 If you want a great into to Brandon Sanderson, recommend the short story "Legion," available for cheap on kindle.  Not Sci-Fi or fantasy per se, but an interesting crime thriller that'll introduce you to the author in a very positive way.  Very cool.  And takes about 20 minutes to read.


Posted by: bossmongo at June 30, 2013 05:24 PM (1qKtS)

199

Very late to the thread...

 

Sanderson is an *extremely* prolific writer.  He's got two YA novels out this year, one short novel (The Emperor's Soul) published at the start of the year, and the sequel to The Way of Kings due out this Fall.  I think I've read pretty much all of his adult novels.  They're all tied together in a shared universe called "The Cosmere".  They all take place on different worlds, but they all have certain rough rules that work across all of the settings.  It's worth noting that the magic systems are *not* among the shared items.  There's an individual named "Hoid" that's popped up in all of his books, and Sanderson has confirmed that it's the same character.  How and why he's turning up in multiple books on completely different worlds is still unknown (he's the missing fool in "The Emperor's Soul").

 

Sanderson's adult novel settings are -

 

Mistborn - His breakout trilogy.  A sequel set a few hundred years later entitled "Alloy of Law" was published last year.  In the sequel, technology has (amazingly enough in a Fantasy setting) advanced right along, with guns, trains, and a combination of the Wild West and Victorian England.  Alloy of Law was supposed to be a stand-alone book, but will apparently get a sequel of its own, Shadow of Self.  Alloy is meant as a bridge novel to a new trilogy set in the Mistborn world after time has advanced to bring the world's technology up to more or less modern standards.

 

Elantris - One novel so far, although he's apparently working on a sequel.  Probably my least favorite of his novels.  His short novel, "The Emperor's Soul", is apparently set on a different part of the same world as Elantris.

 

Warbreaker - One novel so far, but with a definite sequel hook at the end.  This novel is available for free on Sanderson's website.  I personally loved it, but I've no idea when he's getting back to it.

 

The Way of Kings - Part 1 of a planned series of 10 novels, with a world that's unusual in just how alien it is (Fantasy settings generally stick with an Earth-like environment).  As noted above, there are multiple threads running through this novel, with multiple viewpoint characters.  And Bad Things(tm) are about to start happening.  Novel #2, Words of Radiance, is due out this Fall.

 

He's also got a few YA novels/series.  The Rithmatist is a just released YA novel that involves a magic system revolving around chalk art.  Steelheart is a soon to be released (I think) YA novel about superheroes gone bad. Alcatraz is a series of YA novels, but unfortunately I don't know anything about them.  I think Steelheart is supposed to be part of the Cosmere, but the other YA novels are separate.

 

Posted by: junior at June 30, 2013 06:05 PM (Quo7C)

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