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Author
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Topic: What are you reading?
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mynameisxanthan
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Member # 3045
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posted 12-03-2005 08:06 PM
    
I have the bad habit of reading too many books at once. I'll finish them it just takes me longer than it normally would. Heres whats currently on my bookshelf: - Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes how the Media Distorts the News by Bernie Goldberg
- Terrorism and the Media by Briggite L. Nacos
- The 9/11 Commission Report
- The Media and the War on Terrorism by Hess and Kalb
- Notes from the Underground by Dotstoevsky A lot of books that deal with Terrorism. I took a class on Terrorism this semester and the reading is pretty interesting. I wrote a paper on how the Media and Terrorism play off each other, hence all the Media and Terrorism books. [ 12-03-2005: Message edited by: mynameisxanthan ]
Posts: 1148 | From: in your pants | Registered: Jan 2004 | IP: Logged
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AcidWarp
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Member # 997
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posted 12-03-2005 10:40 PM
Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus 4th EditionLiterally, that's all I've read for the last month. I needed a refresher in basic algebra, it has been 8 years since I've done this stuff, even though I have done up to Calc 1 previously. Although I've also read some interesting studies on Animal Communication, specifically dogs and humans. Did you know that dogs can naturally (without training) distinguish between someone that is blindfolded, and someone that is not? Where as a chimp can't do it without extensive training. Dogs can also naturally interpret human gestures, chimps can't. [edit] I do plan on picking up Godel Escher Bach over the holidays. It's supposed to be really good. [ 12-03-2005: Message edited by: AcidWarp ] -------------------- “I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.” “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.” --Dr. Stephen Hawking.
Posts: 4363 | From: Waterloo, Ontario | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged
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Flux
Sarge
Member # 3052
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posted 12-04-2005 12:38 PM
WillyT - how does Timeline relate in any way to Jurassic Park? I enjoyed Timeline thoroughly, and read all 3 Jurassic Park books. They were ok, but the way the movie ended, a sequel was not necessary. Anyway, I didn't see any similarities.I read the Da Vinci Code. Enjoyed that one as well, if not for the whole religious ideas then at least it seemed like a good action novel. Then I thought "Hey, maybe I'll like another one of Dan Brown's books" so I picked up Digital Fortress. That one just made me laugh; the ending was so pathetic and disappointing. It was like I was reading the print version of the movie Hackers. Ridiculous and predictable plot twists, a completely unnecessary sub-plot, with the same riddle-me-this stuff that littered The Da Vinci Code, only being a programmer I was able to see that it shouldn't have been challenging to the characters who were all supposedly ultra-smart. Having read only those two Dan Brown novels, I honestly think that The Da Vinci Code was a more like version 2.0 of Digital Fortress. Either that or TDVC seemed more entertaining cuz I'm not some religous historian so most of the information/ideas/theories seemed new. At any rate, Dan Brown refuses to comment when any reporter tries to interview him about the facts behind his novel (most notably a piece done by Dateline). I lost all respect for him then, because if he thinks it may or may not be fact, he should come out and say it instead of hide and let people think his novels are presenting dogma, effectively maintaining the hype. Crichton is a better author, IMO. Sphere was so good I read it in 3 days. Of course, I had just started college and didn't have much to do, so I had enough time. Currently, I'm refreshing myself on War of the Worlds. Haven't had much time for reading it tho. [ 12-04-2005: Message edited by: Flux ] -------------------- 
Posts: 794 | From: | Registered: Jan 2004 | IP: Logged
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RaverBoy
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Member # 119
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posted 12-04-2005 03:07 PM
quote:
Originally posted by mynameisxanthan:
GuyA :Hey, I invented this new technology
*world blows up*
Damnit! PUT SPOILER WARNINGS NEXT TIME, KTHX! -------------------- No more annoying sig! =D
Posts: 1641 | From: | Registered: Jun 1999 | IP: Logged
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WillyTrombone
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Member # 27
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posted 12-04-2005 03:54 PM
flux - read them back to back. Replace cloning with teleportation, dinosaurs with knoghts, and paleontologists with historians. Thematically, they are identical (both make a statement regarding the ignorance and arrogance of some modern scientists and the resistance to accepting new ideas based on newer knowledge) and the flow and pacing of the plot are pretty much identical. There's a failure of the technology in the beginning alerting experts from outside the project who are then taken in and informed of part - but not all - of the aspects of the project. There's someone who nearly destroys everyone involved in the main plot by working for his self-interest, and when they find a relative safety, the main characters are split up by a dangerously infested geography... the green knight and the t-rex are the same character and symbol, the battle and the storm are the same device... the similarities are very extensive. More than I care to keep listing.xan - I forgot to mention: you might want to check out Eric Hoffer's 'The True Believer.' It would go right along with some of your other current readings and is quite an interesting look at human nature. (Although I think his 'The Passionate State of Mind' is a more significant work, it doesn't follow your terrorism theme) [ 12-04-2005: Message edited by: WillyTrombone ] [ 12-04-2005: Message edited by: WillyTrombone ] -------------------- signature
Posts: 2844 | From: the edge of forever | Registered: Jun 1999 | IP: Logged
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Headstone
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Member # 3014
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posted 12-04-2005 09:01 PM
State of Fear is pretty good. May not be his best but it really puts global warming in perspective.I am waiting to get my copy of Transcendant by Stephen Baxter. Currently in between books. The last that I did read was Moonseed by said author. -------------------- Yep it really is me.
Posts: 308 | From: Canada | Registered: Oct 2003 | IP: Logged
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J0SH
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Member # 103
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posted 12-06-2005 09:17 AM
LOL AcidWrp,,I thought PreCalc was like 10 times harder than Calculus every was! I haven't had much time to read lately, but I have Angels & Demons waiting to be read at home. It's supposed to be the prequal to the DaVinciCode. -------------------- I am.
Posts: 1591 | From: buffalo new york | Registered: Jun 1999 | IP: Logged
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AcidWarp
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Member # 997
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posted 12-06-2005 10:04 AM
PreCalc is just Grade 12 math.-------------------- “I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.” “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.” --Dr. Stephen Hawking.
Posts: 4363 | From: Waterloo, Ontario | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged
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UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
posted 12-04-2005 11:33 PM
posted 12-05-2005 09:20 AM
