Ooh ooh pick me!! Hehe, anyway, brilliant book! I don't like football but loved the book...
I'm supposed to waiting for my birthday or Xmas to get this book, but I really think I can't wait that long...
There seems to be a higher than average concentration of football haters/dislikers here. Which can only mean free ice cream for all! Yay!
...
Anyway, so far I can't say I'm enjoying the book. I'm about 40 pages in, but there's been no mention of the sport, which is good. It just seems different from the other books somehow. That's probably because this is the most recent pratchett book in the timeline I've read. (I've only read all the books up to moving pictures, and then a few here and there after that). I'm sure it'll grow on me though.
"You remember Lot?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Lot--the fellow with the wife that was made out of salt."
"Oh, that Lot." Shandy nodded. "Sure."
" 'Member when Yahweh went over to his house?"
Shandy scowled in concentration. "No."
"Well, Yahweh told him he was going to stomp the town because everybody was such bastards. So Lot says hold on, if I can find ten decent lads will you let the town alone? Yahweh huffs and puffs a bit, but finally allows as how yeah, if there's ten good men then he won't kick the place to bits. Then Lot, being crafty, says, well, how about if there was three? Yahweh gets up and walks around, thinking about it, and then says, all right, I'll go three. So Lot says, how about one? Yahweh's all confused by this point, having his heart set on wrecking the town, but at last he says all right, one decent man, even. And then of course Lot couldn't find even one, and Yahweh got to torch the town anyway." Davies waved at the other men in the boat, a gesture that managed to take in the Carmichael, too, and New Provience Island, and perhaps the whole of the Caribbean. "Don't, Jack, ever make the mistake of thinking he'd find one among these."
Been busy making a list of all the old books that recently came into my possession. These ones:
Now to sort out a box of programmes:
Well, not now as it's a bit late. And I'll be busy most of tomorrow. So Thursday then. Thursday I'll go through that box and list the contents. Such fun.
So, the downside of always exercising the occasional onset of the Consumption, the unending desire to eat everything around me. I may or may not have had seven full meals in the course of today.
There seems to be a higher than average concentration of football haters/dislikers here. Which can only mean free ice cream for all! Yay!
...
Anyway, so far I can't say I'm enjoying the book. I'm about 40 pages in, but there's been no mention of the sport, which is good. It just seems different from the other books somehow. That's probably because this is the most recent pratchett book in the timeline I've read. (I've only read all the books up to moving pictures, and then a few here and there after that). I'm sure it'll grow on me though.
I felt the same way at first... it was good, but the new characters didn't jump out and grab me. It gets better
If science of the appropriate level is indistinguishable from magic, then maybe God is just the universe's most amazingly, technologically advanced being.
If science of the appropriate level is indistinguishable from magic, then maybe God is just the universe's most amazingly, technologically advanced being.
EDIT: Also, as of today, I am a fan of The Twilight Zone!
(7 episodes in of the first series so far, and its already got my imagination going! (I really want to make a videogame or something in the same vein!! ))
Some more nerd-kus for your enjoyment, by me, for the ThinkGeek Haiku submission contest. Wrote them over lunch, when I should have been studying, but hey... needed a break:
"Red vs. Blue" (a Doctor Who-ku):
Did you notice that
The Doctor's bowtie changes
Color with the time?
"A Day in the Life of a Killbot":
Target acquired
Put me down! Please put me down!
Aah, self-test error.
"Ponyquations":
Friendship is magic
Advanced science is magic
Friendship is science?
"Your Mom versus the Super NES":
Do you remember
Neglecting your chores, she screamed,
"I'M PULLING THE PLUG!"
"Empirical Evidence Requested":
Is it possible
For you to be less awesome?
This myth is busted.
In truth I would support Amazon before Apple any day of the week. That being said, I may wait for the Kindle Fire 2 first before looking into buying one.
EDIT: Since you're replying to my mention about Harry Potter ebooks, why would you ask about getting Kindle Fire to read them on, when any other Kindle [or even a Nook (not color)] would be better for reading ebooks?
In truth I would support Amazon before Apple any day of the week. That being said, I may wait for the Kindle Fire 2 first before looking into buying one.
My father is getting a Fire, and so I'll be able to give it a pretty thorough review. The thing about this device is that it's not really comparable to the five times more expensive iPad, or the also more expensive competing Android slates. The Amazon device is a major oddity in that it is being sold at something of a loss and locks you pretty sturdily into Amazon's services, in a way that is both a benefit and a hindrance to the device.
EDIT: Since you're replying to my mention about Harry Potter ebooks, why would you ask about getting Kindle Fire to read them on, when any other Kindle [or even a Nook (not color)] would be better for reading ebooks?[/QUOTE]
You probably should have said "any e-ink reader" instead, I think.
I buy books. Just... books. It makes me feel a lot less like I'm fellating the god of cheaply made, unnecessary, stupid gadgets that do something only marginally as well as a technique we've been using for centuries. Maybe that's just me, though.
I wanted to see if anyone actually bought the thing. It just seems weird that a machine that was used to read e books is now playing music and videos. What is this supposed to be? An iPad?
It's not "now" doing that. They also unveiled, at the same time, a new e-ink "Kindle" device. They're just extending the "Kindle" branding to a tablet, expanding its meaning to encompass devices intended to consume Amazon-curated content. This is really not all that different from "Android" going from being a brand for smartphones to also being a brand for tablets. Phones did not magically become tablets, the brand just came to encompass them. The Kindle Fire does not replace the e-ink line of readers, as at the same time they launched the Kindle Touch. People just jumped on the Fire because everyone likes to write the "iPad Killer?!??!?!?!" article of the week.
I buy books. Just... books. It makes me feel a lot less like I'm fellating the god of cheaply made, unnecessary, stupid gadgets that do something only marginally as well as a technique we've been using for centuries. Maybe that's just me, though.
"Marginally as well"? How about far better? Try carrying thousands of physical books with you everywhere you go. Physical books have weight and take up space, ebooks do not(more than the device, which is smaller and lighter than a paperback). Are MP3s stupid relative to the perfectly fine CD? There are tons of benefits that you're simply overlooking to be obstinate. Looking up words and passages easily, because digital files can be searched in a way that physical books can't. Being able to place hundreds of annotated bookmarks that can't fall out. Built-in dictionaries to pull up the definitions of archaic or obscure words without moving your attention from the text. Never having to go to a bookstore or wait for a book to ship. The ability to change the font and font size at will. The books themselves tend to be a great deal cheaper than their physical counterparts(I purchased "On Stranger Tides" for $5 less than I could find it anywhere else). Public domain books are free, while their print versions are not. Damage can be sustained by the reader, but not the actual books themselves, and so your collection can remain unharmed, the relative value of which is generally greater than the reader itself(if it's not, why are you getting an ereader?!) The readers themselves are more cologically friendly than the physical incarnation.
I buy books. Just... books. It makes me feel a lot less like I'm fellating the god of cheaply made, unnecessary, stupid gadgets that do something only marginally as well as a technique we've been using for centuries. Maybe that's just me, though.
I read books, mainly because they don't run out of battery or cos a ton to replace if they got lost or wrecked. Paperback, the crappy book owners friend.
@Dashing, the reason why these people don't like ebook readers is probably because they don't have one. It's one of those things where one has done fine for ages without something, and once one has it they don't know how they ever went without.
You don't have to use a microwave to cook things when you can use an oven or stove; watch TV/use the net to catch up on the news/weather when you can read a newspaper; use e-mail to send a letter to someone when you can use the post office; use IM/text messaging to chat with someone when you can talk on the telephone; use GPS/Mapquest to find driving directions when you can buy a paper map; etc., etc... but they do have their advantages.
You don't have to read books on an ebook reader, but it does have its advantages.
Also, about the Kindle Fire, it is only $200 while the iPad is $500. I mean, seriously $500 for a tablet that only runs iOS apps, doesn't support Flash, and forces the user to use the clunky retarded mess of bloatware that is iTunes? No, thank you.
The books themselves tend to be a great deal cheaper than their physical counterparts(I purchased "On Stranger Tides" for $5 less than I could find it anywhere else).
While this may be true for new books, I don't think even ebook sales could beat most of the used books sales that I find. For years I would go buy horrible paperback fantasy trilogies for five bucks a trilogy at this used bookshop near my grandpa's house. And at library sales, I've picked up hardbacks for as little as twenty-five cents. And in the case of the L. Ron Hubbard books, I got those for free!
I also got Good Omens for three bucks. I love used book stores.
While this may be true for new books, I don't think even ebook sales could beat most of the used books sales that I find.
And you may not get as good a sale from buying a digital music album from iTunes or Amazon as you would buying a used CD from a flea market or from a record store that sells used CDs (like Vintage Stock near my house,) but that doesn't make it foolish to prefer convenience, speed and ease of finding specific titles instead of happenstance while browsing at garage sales.
And you may get as good a sale from buying a digital music album from iTunes or Amazon as you would buying a used CD from a flea market or from a record store that sells used CDs (like Vintage Stock near my house,) but that doesn't make it foolish to prefer convenience, speed and ease of finding specific titles instead of happenstance while browsing at garage sales.
There are also significant disadvantages to the sort of ease Dashing was referring to earlier. When information is instantly available, we're finding in studies that people are losing the ability to do basic information searches when not assisted by technology, resulting in a loss of critical thinking ability.
Such as going to the library, looking through a paper card catalog to find a book/article, going to the referred to floor of the appropriate library, scanning a bookshelf and then searching said book/article to find a particular quote?
My mother used to teach Intro to Legal Research at Tulsa Community College, and she is the one who bought my wife and me our Kindles.
Also, if Jay Leno's "Jaywalking" segment is at all accurate, there are many stupid people in Los Angeles who couldn't perform critical thinking even if their lives depended on it.
Such as going to the library, looking through a paper card catalog to find a book/article, going to the referred to floor of the appropriate library, scanning a bookshelf and then searching said book/article to find a particular quote?
My mother used to teach Intro to Legal Research at Tulsa Community College, and she is the one who bought my wife and me our Kindles.
And I have an iPad and read books on it. But we're seeing in our high schools a basic lack of ability for students to assemble information because they expect it to be served up in serviceable chunks that can be quick referenced, and are befuddled when there are no easy answers.
Not to mention comprehension and memory are also tied to effort exerted because multiple ties to information seeking lead to higher imprints of a memory versus a quick search.
I still think that there is an advantage to having a readily accessible dictionary on hand to easily define unknown words in a book. Before Google, I used to just overlook certain unknown/archaic words in a novel, opting instead to perhaps glean their meaning from the context of the sentence. Now with my Kindle, I can highlight a word and its actual definition becomes available to me.
People also used to read more and watch TV less (which is unfortunate that they don't still) but that's the way things are.
EDIT:...come to think of it, if selling ebooks and ebook readers gets people to read more than they used to, then I'm all for it.
And you may not get as good a sale from buying a digital music album from iTunes or Amazon as you would buying a used CD from a flea market or from a record store that sells used CDs (like Vintage Stock near my house,) but that doesn't make it foolish to prefer convenience, speed and ease of finding specific titles instead of happenstance while browsing at garage sales.
The flaw with this argument is that if you get a used CD at a flea market, you can then convert it into digital format and then put it on iTunes. It's as easy as popping the CD into your computer, actually. Same goes with a record, if you have the right converters (which I do).
There is no comparable application with books short of physically scanning in every page which takes a long time and also wouldn't be readable on any eReader other than an iPad using a PDF reader app of some sort.
Comments
...
Anyway, so far I can't say I'm enjoying the book. I'm about 40 pages in, but there's been no mention of the sport, which is good. It just seems different from the other books somehow. That's probably because this is the most recent pratchett book in the timeline I've read. (I've only read all the books up to moving pictures, and then a few here and there after that). I'm sure it'll grow on me though.
Now to sort out a box of programmes:
Well, not now as it's a bit late. And I'll be busy most of tomorrow. So Thursday then. Thursday I'll go through that box and list the contents. Such fun.
this is an incomplete sentence, Mr. Doodo.
"It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is."
I felt the same way at first... it was good, but the new characters didn't jump out and grab me. It gets better
Friendship is magic
Advanced science is magic
Friendship is science?
Mind=blown
Doodo's possessed you, too?!
Afterall, Scientists are dicks!
EDIT: Also, as of today, I am a fan of The Twilight Zone!
(7 episodes in of the first series so far, and its already got my imagination going! (I really want to make a videogame or something in the same vein!!
"Red vs. Blue" (a Doctor Who-ku):
Did you notice that
The Doctor's bowtie changes
Color with the time?
"A Day in the Life of a Killbot":
Target acquired
Put me down! Please put me down!
Aah, self-test error.
"Ponyquations":
Friendship is magic
Advanced science is magic
Friendship is science?
"Your Mom versus the Super NES":
Do you remember
Neglecting your chores, she screamed,
"I'M PULLING THE PLUG!"
"Empirical Evidence Requested":
Is it possible
For you to be less awesome?
This myth is busted.
This may be a potential discussion topic!
Well then Sir, consider myself the greatest scientist whom ever did live.
I'm a massive scientist, I am. A total, complete and utter one at that!
I already have a Kindle 2.
In truth I would support Amazon before Apple any day of the week. That being said, I may wait for the Kindle Fire 2 first before looking into buying one.
EDIT: Since you're replying to my mention about Harry Potter ebooks, why would you ask about getting Kindle Fire to read them on, when any other Kindle [or even a Nook (not color)] would be better for reading ebooks?
Oh good! It means that my career path wasn't quite as off as I thought it was according to this extremely professional career survey.
... So you liked Krang, yeah?
EDIT: Since you're replying to my mention about Harry Potter ebooks, why would you ask about getting Kindle Fire to read them on, when any other Kindle [or even a Nook (not color)] would be better for reading ebooks?[/QUOTE]
You probably should have said "any e-ink reader" instead, I think.
"Marginally as well"? How about far better? Try carrying thousands of physical books with you everywhere you go. Physical books have weight and take up space, ebooks do not(more than the device, which is smaller and lighter than a paperback). Are MP3s stupid relative to the perfectly fine CD? There are tons of benefits that you're simply overlooking to be obstinate. Looking up words and passages easily, because digital files can be searched in a way that physical books can't. Being able to place hundreds of annotated bookmarks that can't fall out. Built-in dictionaries to pull up the definitions of archaic or obscure words without moving your attention from the text. Never having to go to a bookstore or wait for a book to ship. The ability to change the font and font size at will. The books themselves tend to be a great deal cheaper than their physical counterparts(I purchased "On Stranger Tides" for $5 less than I could find it anywhere else). Public domain books are free, while their print versions are not. Damage can be sustained by the reader, but not the actual books themselves, and so your collection can remain unharmed, the relative value of which is generally greater than the reader itself(if it's not, why are you getting an ereader?!) The readers themselves are more cologically friendly than the physical incarnation.
Personally, I think e-readers are awesome.
I read books, mainly because they don't run out of battery or cos a ton to replace if they got lost or wrecked. Paperback, the crappy book owners friend.
I'm 100% with you on this. I'd rather have a physical copy any day.
You don't have to use a microwave to cook things when you can use an oven or stove; watch TV/use the net to catch up on the news/weather when you can read a newspaper; use e-mail to send a letter to someone when you can use the post office; use IM/text messaging to chat with someone when you can talk on the telephone; use GPS/Mapquest to find driving directions when you can buy a paper map; etc., etc... but they do have their advantages.
You don't have to read books on an ebook reader, but it does have its advantages.
Also, about the Kindle Fire, it is only $200 while the iPad is $500. I mean, seriously $500 for a tablet that only runs iOS apps, doesn't support Flash, and forces the user to use the clunky retarded mess of bloatware that is iTunes? No, thank you.
While this may be true for new books, I don't think even ebook sales could beat most of the used books sales that I find. For years I would go buy horrible paperback fantasy trilogies for five bucks a trilogy at this used bookshop near my grandpa's house. And at library sales, I've picked up hardbacks for as little as twenty-five cents. And in the case of the L. Ron Hubbard books, I got those for free!
I also got Good Omens for three bucks. I love used book stores.
And you may not get as good a sale from buying a digital music album from iTunes or Amazon as you would buying a used CD from a flea market or from a record store that sells used CDs (like Vintage Stock near my house,) but that doesn't make it foolish to prefer convenience, speed and ease of finding specific titles instead of happenstance while browsing at garage sales.
There are also significant disadvantages to the sort of ease Dashing was referring to earlier. When information is instantly available, we're finding in studies that people are losing the ability to do basic information searches when not assisted by technology, resulting in a loss of critical thinking ability.
My mother used to teach Intro to Legal Research at Tulsa Community College, and she is the one who bought my wife and me our Kindles.
Also, if Jay Leno's "Jaywalking" segment is at all accurate, there are many stupid people in Los Angeles who couldn't perform critical thinking even if their lives depended on it.
And I have an iPad and read books on it. But we're seeing in our high schools a basic lack of ability for students to assemble information because they expect it to be served up in serviceable chunks that can be quick referenced, and are befuddled when there are no easy answers.
Not to mention comprehension and memory are also tied to effort exerted because multiple ties to information seeking lead to higher imprints of a memory versus a quick search.
People also used to read more and watch TV less (which is unfortunate that they don't still) but that's the way things are.
EDIT:...come to think of it, if selling ebooks and ebook readers gets people to read more than they used to, then I'm all for it.
The flaw with this argument is that if you get a used CD at a flea market, you can then convert it into digital format and then put it on iTunes. It's as easy as popping the CD into your computer, actually. Same goes with a record, if you have the right converters (which I do).
There is no comparable application with books short of physically scanning in every page which takes a long time and also wouldn't be readable on any eReader other than an iPad using a PDF reader app of some sort.