What are you reading now? - Page 67

dodie53 · May 1st, 2008, 06:38 PM

the batman murders

Nasser22 · May 4th, 2008, 07:47 PM

Started to read again...

"Winning With Integrity" By: sports agent Leigh Steinberg
Seems interesting so far.

dodie53 · May 6th, 2008, 07:14 AM

world of warcraft - cycle of hatred

AZZenny · May 7th, 2008, 08:07 PM

Just midway through Seduced By Secrets by Kristie Macrakis. She's a prof of the history of science, and got into looking at the Stasi, East Germany's notorious domestic/foreign intelligence service -- famous for out KGB-ing the KGB at least domestically. Her interest is basically illegal technology transfer, aka, science and technology espionage, and turns out Stasi probably did as much or more of that than anything else.

Although she has great sources and some very relevant and interesting premises, it's just not all that well-written -- her stories fail to really illuminate the points she wants to make, and are a bit dry at times. I mean, NSA was 100% BLOWN in the 1980's by two American traitors, but unless you knew a fair amount about NSA already, not sure you'd really get how big that really is. Or maybe because I DO know some about it, it seems understated to me.

The second half of the book, which I am about to start, is about actual espionage technology that they used - Stasi tried to make James Bondian type gadgets, and had thousands of people working on spy gear. This is supposed to be where she really gets the book off the ground.

Later: But doesn't. Once again, lots of good material, just poorly presented, often belabored.

Pariah · May 8th, 2008, 04:22 PM

Child 44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amazon.com

If all that Tom Rob Smith had done was to re-create Stalinist Russia, with all its double-speak hypocrisy, he would have written a worthwhile novel. He did so much more than that in Child 44, a frightening, chilling, almost unbelievable horror story about the very worst that Stalin's henchmen could manage. In this worker's paradise, superior in every way to the decadent West, the citizen's needs are met: health care, food, shelter, security. All one must offer in exchange are work and loyalty to the State. Leo Demidov is a believer, a former war hero who loves his country and wants only to serve it well. He puts contradictions out of his mind and carries on. Until something happens that he cannot ignore. A serial killer of children is on the loose, and the State cannot admit it.

To admit that such a murderer is committing these crimes is itself a crime against the State. Instead of coming to terms with it, the State's official position is that it is merely coincidental that children have been found dead, perhaps from accidents near the railroad tracks, perhaps from a person deemed insane, or, worse still, homosexual. But why does each victim have his or her stomach excised, a string around the ankle, and a mouth full of dirt? Coincidence? Leo, in disgrace and exiled to a country village, doesn't think so. How can he prove it when he is being pursued like a common criminal himself? He and his wife, Raisa, set out to find the killer. The revelations that follow are jaw-dropping and the suspense doesn't let up. This is a debut novel worth reading. --Valerie Ryan

CorporalCardinal · May 8th, 2008, 08:37 PM

"A General's Life" by Omar Bradley

dodie53 · May 11th, 2008, 01:35 AM

world of warcraft - tides of darkness

Donald · May 11th, 2008, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pariah

I'm almost done with this. I can't recommend it enough.

It's really interesting and maddening at the same time. Some of the issues with the way we get our food seem so "no duh" that it's incredible that we haven't changed the process.

It's also frustrating that a lot of the problem with government recommendations is that they're influenced to such a large degree by different lobbying groups (for example, the US recommended daily sugar intake is 3x higher than that of the WHO. Why? Because of the sugar lobby.

)

I just started this tonight, on the second disc now.

Already I understand exactly what you are saying. Holy crap, the lobbying is insane.

I like this book so far.

I'm happy that my family doesn't eat a lot of processed food in general. We are very whole foods...even to using butter instead of margarine and such.

Some of the stats from this book so far are unreal. I think I might have to give it a second listen.

AZZenny · May 12th, 2008, 08:00 AM

Honor Bound, American POWs in Southeast Asia 1961-1973 by Stuart Rochester and Frederick Kiley. Superb history -- grueling and graphic, exceptionally well-detailed and documented, but really develops the story, the issues, the people, places, politics -- I read 400 pp in a sitting, which wasn't the plan, thought I'd just read a few select chapters.

Donald · May 14th, 2008, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donald

I just started this tonight, on the second disc now.

Already I understand exactly what you are saying. Holy crap, the lobbying is insane.

I like this book so far.

I'm happy that my family doesn't eat a lot of processed food in general. We are very whole foods...even to using butter instead of margarine and such.

Some of the stats from this book so far are unreal. I think I might have to give it a second listen.

Man, that is just one eye-opening book (In Defense of Food.)

Absolutely loved this book...will change the way I view food..and what even I thought was food (the section on bread was ..wow..)

Louis · May 16th, 2008, 08:00 AM

Just p/u End of Faith by Sam Harris and The Portable Atheist by Christopher Hutchens.

dodie53 · May 17th, 2008, 07:16 AM

plague zone

AZZenny · May 19th, 2008, 09:36 PM

Mirroring People by Marco Iacoboni

Mirror Neurons are the most important neuroscientific discovery in decades -- some say 'ever.' These clusters of cells were once thought to somehow help plan movement. (when I was in Grad school, my neuropsych prof admitted 'we call it the premotor cortex because it's in front of the motor strip -- not because we know what it actually does.')

Well, 15 years ago, a group of crazy Italian neuroscientists stumbled into the realization that small groups of these cells only fire when an animal performs a complex action, like picking up a raisin and putting it in the mouth. Same motions but no raisin = no cell activity.
But wait -- they fire when they watch another monkey pick up a raisin and put it in his mouth.
And when a human experimenter picks up a raisin and puts it in his mouth.
And when they see a movie of a monkey or human doing the same action.

Other cells react when they see someone pick up a cup, still others when someone breaks open a peanut.
Whoa-ho! Those exact same cells also react when they HEAR the sound of someone opening a peanut out of sight!

The race was on -- Mirror neurons in humans respond instantly (under 100 millisecs) to facial expressions, to gestures and goal-directed sequences, and to the objects that fit with those actions. Thus the cells that fire when you pick up an apple and bite it, also fire when you watch someone do that, and fire when you see an apple (or peach or muffin or similar-sized edible), and when they hear the sound of an apple being bitten, and when you read about it and imagine it...

In humans, the cells can learn to code for symbols -- so if you are told that a red arrow indicates how much pain someone you can't see is experiencing, mirror neurons in another area of the brain associated with feeling your own pain and recognizing pain in others become more active as the arrow shows more pain. Single brain cells show abstract and conceptual thinking.

Mirror Neurons are the biological source for insight into other people's feelings and motivations (and thus for all of culture), for empathy, for learning social behaviors, abstract ideas and concepts, language, and probably charisma and brand loyalty!

The book is really fascinating and written in a fairly entertaining yet logical style, but I have to wonder if someone with no scientific or biology background would follow it comfortably. While supposedly aimed at a lay audience, it's probably better suited for people with some general familiarity with the life sciences.

Bada0Bing · May 20th, 2008, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZZenny

Mirroring People by Marco Iacoboni

Mirror Neurons are the most important neuroscientific discovery in decades -- some say 'ever.' These clusters of cells were once thought to somehow help plan movement. (when I was in Grad school, my neuropsych prof admitted 'we call it the premotor cortex because it's in front of the motor strip -- not because we know what it actually does.')

Well, 15 years ago, a group of crazy Italian neuroscientists stumbled into the realization that small groups of these cells only fire when an animal performs a complex action, like picking up a raisin and putting it in the mouth. Same motions but no raisin = no cell activity.
But wait -- they fire when they watch another monkey pick up a raisin and put it in his mouth.
And when a human experimenter picks up a raisin and puts it in his mouth.
And when they see a movie of a monkey or human doing the same action.

Other cells react when they see someone pick up a cup, still others when someone breaks open a peanut.
Whoa-ho! Those exact same cells also react when they HEAR the sound of someone opening a peanut out of sight!

The race was on -- Mirror neurons in humans respond instantly (under 100 millisecs) to facial expressions, to gestures and goal-directed sequences, and to the objects that fit with those actions. Thus the cells that fire when you pick up an apple and bite it, also fire when you watch someone do that, and fire when you see an apple (or peach or muffin or similar-sized edible), and when they hear the sound of an apple being bitten, and when you read about it and imagine it...

In humans, the cells can learn to code for symbols -- so if you are told that a red arrow indicates how much pain someone you can't see is experiencing, mirror neurons in another area of the brain associated with feeling your own pain and recognizing pain in others become more active as the arrow shows more pain. Single brain cells show abstract and conceptual thinking.

Mirror Neurons are the biological source for insight into other people's feelings and motivations (and thus for all of culture), for empathy, for learning social behaviors, abstract ideas and concepts, language, and probably charisma and brand loyalty!

The book is really fascinating and written in a fairly entertaining yet logical style, but I have to wonder if someone with no scientific or biology background would follow it comfortably. While supposedly aimed at a lay audience, it's probably better suited for people with some general familiarity with the life sciences.

The library has this on order. I put in my request for a copy as soon as it comes in. Sounds fascinating.

Bada0Bing · May 23rd, 2008, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outoftheashes

I don't know of an author that specifically deals with those, however,if you haven't read 'Timeline' by Michael Crichton, I think you might like it. It fits the parameters you listed. Movie sucked though.

I just finished Timeline. I thought it was OK. I was really interested until about half thru, and then it started to drag for me. The discussion of quantum mechanics was fascinating, and I thought it was interesting how everything was so much different than they had imagined (in the 14 century). But I got a little bored with how long they were back there.

I also watched the movie, and I completely agree, it sucked.