What are you reading now? - Page 60

Pariah · January 8th, 2008, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pariah

This is awesome. I'm reading it in very small chunks (at the gym), but parts of it echo some of the better debates on the existence of God that we have in the P&R forum...albiet much cooler.

Heucrazy · January 8th, 2008, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pariah

This is awesome. I'm reading it in very small chunks (at the gym), but parts of it echo some of the better debates on the existence of God that we have in the P&R forum...albiet much cooler.

Quite a workout you must be getting.

Pariah · January 8th, 2008, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heucrazy

Quite a workout you must be getting.

I read it when I cool down on the bike.

Heucrazy · January 8th, 2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pariah

I read it when I'm at the Jack in the box drive thru.

Pariah · January 8th, 2008, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heucrazy

No Jack in the Box in Denver.

My waistline thanks Jack for that one.

Pariah · January 9th, 2008, 08:07 AM

Anyway, joking aside, those of you inclined to debate theology would enjoy it, I think. It's written like a screenplay and would make a kickass short play (it all takes place in a single apartment).

YaYo · January 14th, 2008, 07:54 AM

At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks.

It's the sequel to True Believer ... which was a great book.

Suns_fan69 · January 15th, 2008, 01:40 AM

Just finished 'A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier' by Ishmael Beah. I'm kind of at a loss for words to describe it. It's touched me fairly deeply and I am saddened by the atrocities that have been described.

Pariah · January 16th, 2008, 03:35 PM

Starting this tomorrow:
http://www.amazon.com/Foreign-Policy...0526331&sr=8-1

Quote:

Product Description
Ron Paul has always believed that foreign and domestic policy should be conducted according to the same principles. Government should be restrained from intervening at home or abroad because its actions fail to achieve their stated aims, create more harm than good, shrink the liberty of the people, and violate rights. Does that proposition seem radical? Outlandish or farflung? Once you hear it stated, it makes perfect sense that there is no sharp distinction between the principles of domestic and foreign policy. They are part of the same analytical fabric. What would be inconsistent would be to favor activist government at home but restraint abroad, or the reverse: restraint at home and activism abroad. Government unleashed behaves in its own interests, and will not restrict itself in any area of life. It must be curbed in all areas of life lest freedom suffer. Ron Paul's singular voice on foreign affairs has done so much to keep the flame of a consistent liberty burning in times when it might otherwise have been extinguished. He has drawn public attention to the ideas of the Founders. He has alerted people to the dangers of empire. He has linked domestic and foreign affairs through libertarian analytics, even when others have been bamboozled by the lies or too intimidated to contradict them. He has told the truth, always. For this, every American, every citizen of the world, is deeply in his debt. We can't but be deeply grateful that Ron Paul's prophetic words have been collected in this book. May it be widely distributed. May its lessons be absorbed by this and future generations. -- Foreword to "A Foreign Policy of Freedom" by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.

Heucrazy · January 16th, 2008, 05:42 PM

"Cell" by Stephen King

justAndy · January 17th, 2008, 06:05 AM

"The Creators" by Boorstin.
"Dinosaur in a Haystack" by Stephen Jay Gould.

Zeno · January 17th, 2008, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heucrazy

"Cell" by Stephen King

I read that book it was great right up until the explanation of why it happened. Then they lost me, of course its typical of Stephen King..things always have to have some supernatural twist.

They are making a movie of it with Eli Roth to direct from what I hear.

AZZenny · January 18th, 2008, 07:59 AM

Shmoozing with Terrorists by Aaron Klein

Klein is an American Jew who became a Middle East reporter -- as opposed to a ME 'correspondent' -- after becoming curious about Islamic extremists in college. His way to find out if this was hype was to go to a recruiting weekend held by a London branch of a widespread jihadi group; he came away eyes wide and convinced these guys are serious. In the past 5-6 years he has personally interviewed dozens of mid-to-upper level terrorists in their offices or hideouts in Gaza and the West Bank, Europe, Egypt and Jordan, and yes -- America. He has tea with them (he says Jihadis make the best tea he's ever had) and debates them rather than dutifully jotting down the polished prepared notes the media usually gets.

He presents the terrorist's own words, and while often they are absurd and almost funny, sometimes blatantly untrue and desperately convoluted, ultimately what they say is outrageous and quite disturbing because they absolutely believe it.

What they are saying: They fear and hate our lifestyle, our beliefs, our freedom, our intellectual curiousity, our fun, and see it as their duty - nay, their honor - to destroy Western rational, humanist, Judeo-Christian, democratic, scientific civilization. And they are absolutely certain that they will succeed, by insidious means, by using our own democratic process against us, and by dint of fear and violence.

Klein's an unapologetic religious Jew and supports the right of Israel to exist, and his interview subjects all know it -- for some, despite their war on Israel (and Jews, not just Israelis, it becomes perfectly clear -- all these guys would be at home in Hitler's bunker) he is the first Jew they have actually ever spoken with. Although most are very experienced at dealing with Western 'journalists' they are amused by the nerve of a Jewish reporter to question them directly, and they open up more than usual. Even the guys from Hamas tell him erasing Israel is really only their first step -- 'act locally, think globally' in its truest form.

There are a few times getting out with his skin intact isn't a sure thing -- e.g., when his colleague spends half an hour cheerfully insisting they SHOW him where in the Quran the 72 dark-eyed-virgins line is found, and a room full of heavily armed terrorists end up rummaging angrily through their Qurans to no avail.

A very good read, and definitely disturbing.

Pariah · January 18th, 2008, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZZenny

Shmoozing with Terrorists by Aaron Klein

That does sound good.

krepitch · January 21st, 2008, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suns_fan69

Just finished 'A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier' by Ishmael Beah. I'm kind of at a loss for words to describe it. It's touched me fairly deeply and I am saddened by the atrocities that have been described.

That was a powerful book. Quick read, but definitely worth it.