kidsmoke

I'm just beginning to wade into this. I love a big, thick, well-written historical book. This one's about Thomas Cromwell & Henry VIII. So far I'm loving it, very well written! What historical novels/authors would the rest of you recommend? I've just finished reading Roddy Doyle's ("The Commitments") excellent novel, "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha", about a 10 year old Irish boy. It's written entirely from the boy's viewpoint and I was amazed at how well Doyle recaptured what it feels like to be 10. Simply brilliant, at turns comical and heartbreaking. I highly recommend it!

Why thank you, Jimbo!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the States. Have a wonderful time enjoying food and family!

I'm sorry, that's not going to get you off the hook. (pun intended) Now go finish that thing. Tell me how it turns out.

I'm a big fan of author Denis Johnson. I'm currently reading "Fiskadoro", a post-apocalyptic tale set in FL. One of the characters recently introduced is named Cassius Clay Sugar Ray. Cracks me up every time I read it.

Oh wow.

Thank God, it's over!

I'll start... This seems like a good song for the day. So quietly powerful. "Oh, we come on the ship they call the Mayflower We come on the ship that sailed the moon We come in the age's most uncertain hour and sing an American tune" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCvkbGDmaoo

I'm glad they made that decision too. It wasn't the right time. remphish, thanks for checking in, and I'm glad you're ok. I'm sure tons of people appreciate the very long, tough hours you must be putting in, trying to get the electricity back up. I can't even imagine the kind of devastation you must be seeing.

This is wonderful stuff...Pat's dad is a delight. Thanks for sharing it!

The stories coming out of storm-ravaged areas of subhumans charging those without electricity $100 to charge their phones make me ill. I guess it doesn't pay (enough) to have ethics. "Price gouging is a pejorative term referring to a situation in which a seller prices goods or commodities much higher than is considered reasonable or fair. This rapid increase in prices occurs after a demand or supply shock: examples include price increases after hurricanes or other natural disasters. In precise, legal usage, it is the name of a crime that applies in some of the United States during civil eme

I'm glad you at least have a generator, Leigh. And I'm especially glad that you & yours are safe and unharmed! I hope all of you affected by the loss of power can hunker down and get through this slow process of getting things "back to normal", or as back to normal as possible. Did you have a lot of tree damage where you are? Structural damage?

Yes, I was just going to say, I haven't seen anyone behave bannably. (That really ought to be a word.)

Folks, remember, you always have the option of putting other members on "ignore" if you like. Some of this is beginning to smack of baiting...please don't. Live and let live, and set to "ignore" if you need to. Thanks.

Actually Joss Whedon supports Zomney...

I think he was adding onto my "Stay safe out there", but I'm not entirely sure, plus I'm all distracted by the idea of homemade gnocci with walnut sauce. Also with the idea of dag going all "Captain Dan" with Mother Nature. All of you, please enjoy Mother Nature but don't get reckless! We want you safe and sound. Leigh, I'm gonna need that recipe once the storm is past.

I liked that.

Scott is a very happy guy right now over the fantastic playing of his beloved SF Giants. He doesn't just sing about baseball, so winningly , he is also a huge fan.

What are you all doing in preparation for this monster hurricane/storm? I'm from earthquake country (California) so i don't know anything but what I read or hear on the news about how to brace for a hurricane. I hope this one doesn't live up to its billing. Stay safe out there.

I really lean on the California Voter's Guide for an indepth analysis of the propositions, which is very objective and sticks to the facts. Where an outcome of implementing a proposition is unpredictable (in terms of financial impact, for instance) the independent analysis will say so directly, but give the best estimates of experts. The analysis is followed by the pro and con arguments for the proposition, and rebuttals to each. I read all of it, and take note of who writes the arguments and rebuttals in each direction. By the time I've done all my reading, I usually have a pretty clear idea

I wish I could join you, Rei! I know you will have an amazing time!

We're waiting on the update solace is doing this weekend, to solve that and other problems.

Jeff has you all figured out, Mende!

I know exactly what you mean. Some things you just can't even wrap your head around for awhile. i was working at an elementary school at that time, and I was up in the school cafeteria before school, chatting with the ladies in the kitchen there. The teacher who had the classroom next to ours came up to the counter where teachers signed up for lunches...she was the calmest, most rational sort of woman...and she was huge-eyed, and rambling to the group of us, "It blew up! It just....exploded!" She was almost incoherent from the shock of it. It was several long seconds before we were able to eve

Let her see a variety of things, and just keep on presenting the good stuff. My kiddos listened to a bit of everything, and I've gotta say, although they like some music that I don't, their minds are wide open and they have pretty great taste overall now that they are grown. That teenybopper pop is bound to appeal when they're young, but they'll outgrow it and grow into the better music, as long as they have exposure to it. Did she have fun at the Beiber?