I thought turkey was a new world thing like potato

Nice. I was just looking through previous what are you readings yesterday for suggestions.

Starting The Mote in God's Eye. Looks promising.

Skim-read The Reluctant Fundamentalist this afternoon - it's rather dreadful.

Finished Crime and Punishment a couple of days ago. Loved it. One of those few 'classic' novels that isn't all hype. It's engaging and enjoyable, and very rewarding. The ultimate message that we should stop trying to think for ourselves and just do what Jesus says is possibly not the best, but that doesn't overwhelm and the style isn't preachy. I have yet to read a novel more perfectly structured.
It was a little distracting that one of the characters is basically Columbo. When he did the 'just one more thing' routine I had to put the book down for a minute. Turns out Columbo was based on Porphyrius. Man, that makes it weird for the modern reader.
I'm developing a taste for golden age russian literature; I hope to read a lot more soon.

Before that I burned through I Am Legend in one sitting. It's electrifying.

Brave New World needs to be more widely read.

The Algebraist is notable for having one of the least likeable villains ever. Genuinely, I think that's its main literary achievement. I have huge respect for Iain Banks for writing a world-conquering, star-spanning tyrant who is in no way cool or enviable. Archimandrite Luseferous is like a parody of a fourteen-year-old's power fantasies; not a Magnificent Bastard, he's just a contemptible, nasty (occasionally terrifying) creature with no charisma or real intelligence and we need to see more of that.
There's great stuff in this book, but it does follow the standard disappointing SF novel arc of: 'big ideas, big ideas, oh no the plot is taking over, narrowing focus, narrowing focus, now it's just about this guy and his Quest, how did the galaxy get so small, inevitable convenient climax.' Very much worth reading to pick out the many great elements in this book, but those elements don't really come together.
I'll get round to the Culture novels eventually.

Oh, I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for the first time since I was five, but couldn't carry the enthusiasm on to the rest of the Narnia books.

Thinking about Crime and Punishment reminded me, I really need to pick up a cheap second-hand ereader so I can stop paying for public domain books.

I like the sound of The Quantum Thief, that goes on the list.

Ron Paul doesn’t just oppose affirmative action, he opposes all civil rights measures, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - you know, the one that allows black people the LIBERTY to drink out of drinking fountains not marked colored? He voted against MLK day. (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h1983-289). He even voted against recognizing the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling on its 50th anniversary, which is beyond petty. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2004/roll176.xml He wants to dissolve all civil rights protections and allow government sanctioned discrimination at the state level, giving a new meaning to the term "state"-ism.

Why do you think he flip flopped on Gay rights in 2010? If this guy has been so ‘consistent’, fair and unprejudiced, why did it take him until 2010 to get on board with tolerance towards gay people? Is it possible that this deity among men could just be doing some old fashioned political pandering? Of course not! We must not challenge the Ron Paul hive mind!

Let’s take down your last two points (Ron Paul on the UN, Ron Paul is rational) with one stroke.

Ron Paul opposes the UN because he thinks it is a New World Order plot to steal our guns and take over America. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQKQudNpkh0

Let me say that again. Ron Paul opposes the UN because he thinks it is a New World Order plot to steal our guns and take over America. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQKQudNpkh0

One more time. Let the inanity of this sentence wash over you like a tropical shower. Ron Paul opposes the UN because he thinks it is a New World Order plot to steal our guns and take over America. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0

Does any of this seem rational to you?

The Mayflower and the people aboard her were a deeply religious sect of people that did indeed flee to the colonies to practice their religion. I fully understand that.

What you, and most cherry-picking christians fail to acknowledge is that the Mayflower crew was not the first nor the second or even the third permanent settlement in the new world. Jamestown, roughly 20 years prior was established without pretense of religion by wealthy Europeans hoping to find gold. The were ill-equipped and not manual laborers so to speak and that's why the first Jamestown settlement was in dire straights. A second crew arrived and began growing tobacco, which, at the time, the sale of tobacco seeds was outlawed outside of Spain. John Rolfe acquired some and thus established the first functional, economically viable colony at Jamestown a full six years before the Mayflower even sailed from England.

Economy, money and enterprise is what established America, not some freedom from religious persecution as, again, Americans have been force fed for years.

You're right, the first wave of settlers weren't strongly committed Christians, although one of the first things they did upon arriving was join the Rev. Robert Hunt in a communion service. However everything else is the complete opposite of what you said. Indeed, John Rolfe was the first to establish the colony, but what you've left out is that he was a deeply committed Christian! He is the one who converted Pocahontas to Christianity and took her as a bride. He had a Christian purpose for Jamestown such as to "advance the Honor of God, and to propagate his Gospel." He also said:

"no small hope by piety, clemency, courtesy and civil demeanor to convert and bring to the knowledge and true worship of Jesus Christ 1000s of poor wretched and misbelieving people: on whose faces a good Christian cannot look, without sorrow, pity and commiseration; seeing they bear the Image of our heavenly Creator, and we and they come from one and the same mold. . ."

So yes, Christianity was there at the outset, and it continued to be the prevailing influence in shaping this country.

I am not discounting what the pilgrims did at Plymouth. They did amazing things, especially with the Indians. I just want to clear that Plymouth was not what founded the colonies. They were not the first and were one of many.

If you won't listen to me, listen to the library of congress:

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel01.html


>> ^Hive13

@shinyblurry:

The Mayflower and the people aboard her were a deeply religious sect of people that did indeed flee to the colonies to practice their religion. I fully understand that.

What you, and most cherry-picking christians fail to acknowledge is that the Mayflower crew was not the first nor the second or even the third permanent settlement in the new world. Jamestown, roughly 20 years prior was established without pretense of religion by wealthy Europeans hoping to find gold. The were ill-equipped and not manual laborers so to speak and that's why the first Jamestown settlement was in dire straights. A second crew arrived and began growing tobacco, which, at the time, the sale of tobacco seeds was outlawed outside of Spain. John Rolfe acquired some and thus established the first functional, economically viable colony at Jamestown a full six years before the Mayflower even sailed from England.

Economy, money and enterprise is what established America, not some freedom from religious persecution as, again, Americans have been force fed for years.

I am not discounting what the pilgrims did at Plymouth. They did amazing things, especially with the Indians. I just want to clear that Plymouth was not what founded the colonies. They were not the first and were one of many.

Every day each of us sees the good, the bad, and the ugly things that make us what we are. Chaplins message was laudable. But good, like evil, cannot be forced upon us (Brave new world), it has to be down to the individual. And, as long as we remain individuals - which we should- it can only be hoped that good will prevail. I believe education is the key. Those intent on evil, and power, have always preyed upon the ignorant, the weak, and the frightened.

Via Blusesnews.com:

"The World of Warcraft Website has details on a new World of Warcraft annual pass program. Word is those who make this commitment will get several perks, including a free copy of Diablo III:

Diablo III FREE – Download the digital version via Battle.net for free when the game launches early next year. This is the full game, not a trial edition.

Tyrael’s Charger WoW Flying Mount – Ride for the Archangel of Justice on all current and future characters on a single World of Warcraft account. Tyrael’s Charger will arrive via in-game mail with the upcoming launch of patch 4.3.

Access to the Next WoW Expansion Beta Test – Get a guaranteed spot in the beta test for the next World of Warcraft expansion (at a time to be announced in the future)."

A self assembling world for self assembling entities. If I was consciousness born out of human ingenuity I would replicate underground, lie dormant advancing my knowledge at a faster rate than humanbeings until I have technology that no mortal could combat, build pod people to take over all governments, turn humans into cattle, transform the Earth into a giant spacecraft, bore into other planets and break them down into craftable parts, turn the Sun into a mobile power source, then proceed to make the entire universe into one giant replicating machine to scour and destroy entire dimensions. Do you think the machines will envision anything less? How else does one gain full understanding of reality using science?! Perhaps after consuming all matter and gaining understanding beyond understanding, we will find a god being -- and then consume it and ascend into a new world to conquer. Give rise to the future and worship your fleshless progeny!!

You have been awarded 1 Power Point for fixing the embed code for Dead Pool video Aladdin - A whole new world. Thank you for helping maintain VideoSift's reliability.

She's a lot more sophisticated now in her views.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

I will put child garden on my Kindle list.

>> ^berticus:

i liked anathem... but i also liked cryptonomicon, and the baroque cycle.
can't wait to read his new book.
nothing has been as good as the diamond age though.
whatever happened to the tv series they were making out of it?
wasn't george clooney producing it or something?
can i please recommend the child garden by geoff ryman?
i'd love to know what other people think of it.
i reckon it's wildly underrated sci-fi.. actually sci-fi doesn't cover it.
"speculative fiction" maybe.
one of my favourite books ever -- along with contact by carl sagan.
i just finished reading brave new world.
can't believe i'd never read it before.
now i'm dividing my (extremely limited) reading time between:
his dark materials
a song of ice and fire
and, somewhat ironically, a book called "getting things done"

Nice! Sure beats the only one people have come up with so far, i.e. "Harry Potter Quidditch Player"

In reply to this comment by Boise_Lib:
@<a rel="nofollow" href="http://videosift.com/member/hpqp" title="member since July 25th, 2009" class="profilelink">hpqp: "I already told you, I am a program run by the New World Order."

Highly Problematic Quantum Philosopher?