tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post234185002715962196..comments2023-11-10T04:17:00.492-05:00Comments on View From The Porch: ...and then everybody dies!Tamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-45620195160308605562011-02-16T02:25:38.466-05:002011-02-16T02:25:38.466-05:00For a darker story, how about "Midshipman'...For a darker story, how about "Midshipman's Hope", David Feintuch. Or maybe "Exchange of Hostages" by Susan R. Matthews.<br /><br />On the lighter side, "Another Fine Myth" by Asprin, Robert Frezza's "McLendon's Syndrome" and "VMR Theory" (Vampire Master Race theory states that humans are too stupid to have survived, without a secret ruling class of vampires. SF)<br /><br />Then there is the YA/Liaden Universe "Balance of Trade", Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. <br /><br />Or the western/adventure/romance/gender reversal/future SF (and very fun and enjoyable) "A Brother's Price", Wen Spencer.<br /><br />Enjoy the day!Brad K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/18378344866487206569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-16304067262055346612011-02-15T23:13:04.645-05:002011-02-15T23:13:04.645-05:00Check the thread, and what do I get for a WV?
&qu...Check the thread, and what do I get for a WV?<br /><br />"sucked"<br /><br />I could make a easy comment about how terrible the life and times under Stalin and Hitler would be, but a bit of knowledge of how many children, parents, brothers and individual people died under these monsters just sucked the will to do that right out of me.Joe in PNGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-2610418493306425632011-02-15T22:22:53.468-05:002011-02-15T22:22:53.468-05:00"The big takeaway lesson...is that it's d..."The big takeaway lesson...is that it's damned hard to resist dekulakization when all you have are pitchforks and hoes."<br /><br />And from the dictionary definition of the word of the day:<br /><br />"Dekulakization: the Soviet campaign of political repressions, including arrests, deportations, and executions of millions of the better-off peasants and their families in 1929-1932. The richer peasants were labeled kulaks and considered class enemies. The stated purpose of the campaign was to fight the counter-revolution and build socialism in the countryside. This policy was accomplished simultaneously with collectivization in the USSR and effectively brought all agriculture and peasants in the Soviet Russia under state control.<br /><br />The "liquidation of the kulaks as a class" was announced by Stalin on 27 December 1929. The decision was formalized in a resolution "On measures for the elimination of kulak households in districts of comprehensive collectivization" on January 30, 1930. All kulaks were divided into three categories: (I) to be shot or imprisoned as decided by the local secret political police; (II) to be sent to Siberia after confiscation of their property; and (III) to be evicted from their houses and used in labour colonies within their own districts.<br /><br />A combination of dekulakization, collectivization, and other repressive policies led to mass starvation in many parts of the Soviet Union and the death of at least 14.5 million peasants in 1930-1937"<br /><br />Thanks a lot for the vocabulary addition and the associated history lesson, Tam...at least I hope it's just history.<br /><br />I think from now on when someone earnestly, innocently, and cluelessly asks me, why do you want or need to own guns?<br /><br />I'm just going to show them the two quotes above.<br /><br />As for the cheering up? Good luck with that.<br /><br />ATAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-57540180684091318482011-02-15T21:08:12.726-05:002011-02-15T21:08:12.726-05:00Alas, not available on Kindle and expensively out ...Alas, not available on Kindle and expensively out of printIan Argenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03704336044732061128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-2153245252529406882011-02-15T21:07:15.462-05:002011-02-15T21:07:15.462-05:00Old Tin Sorrows is one of my favorites, actually. ...Old Tin Sorrows is one of my favorites, actually. Eleanor is a favorite characterIan Argenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03704336044732061128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-55590198477199639002011-02-15T21:04:19.890-05:002011-02-15T21:04:19.890-05:00And Morley, Saucerhead, and the restAnd Morley, Saucerhead, and the restIan Argenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03704336044732061128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-89758462449430729882011-02-15T21:04:16.639-05:002011-02-15T21:04:16.639-05:00Although if you want non-depressing, I'd skip ...Although if you want non-depressing, I'd skip <i>Old Tin Sorrows</i> for nowFirehandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04562365951182027709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-7517461438413996992011-02-15T21:02:56.829-05:002011-02-15T21:02:56.829-05:00Ah, Garrett and the Dead Man!Ah, Garrett and the Dead Man!Firehandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04562365951182027709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-38350903869063106422011-02-15T19:38:51.832-05:002011-02-15T19:38:51.832-05:00Me, I'm refreshing myself via Glen Cook's ...Me, I'm refreshing myself via Glen Cook's Garrett PI novels. Just the right blend of gumshoe noir and grim fantasy world. Now, apparently, mostly available to the Kindle if that's what rocks your wagon. (oddly enough, missing 3 in a row in the middle fothe series. Can't figur ethat. Rights issue?)Ian Argenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03704336044732061128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-19810256623530036422011-02-15T17:20:12.096-05:002011-02-15T17:20:12.096-05:00I watched the author on www.booktv.org give an hou...I watched the author on www.booktv.org give an hour-long talk. Here is the link:<br />http://booktv.org/Program/12075/Bloodlands+Europe+Between+Hitler+and+Stalin.aspx<br /><br />Like any history of this place & time, it is grim, grim, grim. <br /><br />For those in the know, www.booktv.org is for political/book junkies who are considered too geeky for the usual C-SPan junkies.jfruserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01002178940479903025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-37862797626174105662011-02-15T15:47:43.033-05:002011-02-15T15:47:43.033-05:00Ok, here ya go:
A neutrino walks into a bar.
Bar...Ok, here ya go:<br /><br />A neutrino walks into a bar.<br /><br />Bartender: We don't serve your kind here.<br /><br />Neutrino: Hey man, just passin' through!Justthisguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17277333206171756636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-12163238913556089252011-02-15T14:57:39.490-05:002011-02-15T14:57:39.490-05:00Or head over to Cracked.com for a bit... just, be ...Or head over to Cracked.com for a bit... just, be careful... you may get stuck there.Joe in PNGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-37732860550830838352011-02-15T14:42:18.993-05:002011-02-15T14:42:18.993-05:00Stross's A Colder War (what the heck, toss in ...Stross's <i>A Colder War</i> (what the heck, toss in <i>Missile Gap</i> as an aperitif). You can read both online.Kenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04780425923108876647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-6701892639659940752011-02-15T14:23:28.633-05:002011-02-15T14:23:28.633-05:00Might as well read William Forstchen's One Sec...Might as well read William Forstchen's One Second After for a gloom and doom trifecta.<br /><br />After reading all those, its enough to get one shopping for canned goods and shotguns.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08146728790019377401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-39265667905711855702011-02-15T14:21:44.976-05:002011-02-15T14:21:44.976-05:00Why do we need cosmic interference?
The Caliphate...Why do we need cosmic interference?<br /><br />The Caliphate Prophecy is getting hard to ignore.<br /><br />Barry is on the idiot box, telling us it's all good, and that we just need to hold hands and jump into the boat...simultaneously, lest it gets all capsized, or something.<br /><br />China's wheat harvest looks like the next world famine, destined for the history books, if the TeeWee is to be believed.<br /><br />We're doing just fine, all on our own, and ensuring the demise of the species.theirritablearchitecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04105315709746689270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-64964215138096936832011-02-15T13:26:54.369-05:002011-02-15T13:26:54.369-05:00Pratchett's Unseen Academicals is just what I ...Pratchett's <a href="http://amzn.com/0061161721" rel="nofollow">Unseen Academicals</a> is just what I needed to fend off February. Less about soccer/football than I expected; like most Pratchett it's not exactly about what's on the cover.aczarnowskinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-24553669323751003402011-02-15T12:44:37.400-05:002011-02-15T12:44:37.400-05:00A Confederacy of Dunces by JK Toole always makes m...A Confederacy of Dunces by JK Toole always makes me laugh everytime I reread it.<br /><br />GerryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-3948298169047127162011-02-15T12:33:59.466-05:002011-02-15T12:33:59.466-05:00"The big takeaway lesson thus far is that it&..."The big takeaway lesson thus far is that it's damned hard to resist dekulakization when all you have are pitchforks and hoes."<br /><br />Actually, there was supposed to be a pretty large amount of small arms still hidden in villages after the Civil War. More likely, with examples of Tambov, Kronstadt and dozens of smaller rebellions of the 1920s still fresh in people's memory, most chose not to resist and take the chance that they might survive GULAG vs getting shelled and gassed by the Red Army.Starik Igolkinhttp://fencingblog.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-55566079527275117652011-02-15T12:09:52.224-05:002011-02-15T12:09:52.224-05:00How about some Taliban knock-knock jokes? Peek-a-...How about some Taliban knock-knock jokes? Peek-a-boo, XM25 sees you!<br />Ok that's more knock-down than knock-knock...NotClauswitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14358707844087117280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-563668355344585692011-02-15T11:37:44.797-05:002011-02-15T11:37:44.797-05:00You should see if you can find a copy of "Eme...You should see if you can find a copy of "Emergence" by David R. Palmer since you're talking about young adult TEOTWAWKI.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-20261377363637678232011-02-15T11:30:18.030-05:002011-02-15T11:30:18.030-05:00Knock-knock jokes? May I suggest, for light non-po...Knock-knock jokes? May I suggest, for light non-political reading, searching (Amazon or other outlets) for "Asimov Limericks" He published one collection of "mostly clean" ones, and co-authored several others.John Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00801684602403824157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-34196974786573748882011-02-15T11:28:04.302-05:002011-02-15T11:28:04.302-05:00"book of subversive jokes from Russia in the ..."book of subversive jokes from Russia in the Soviet period"<br /><br />Did you know Adam and Eve were the first socialists?<br /><br />They had nothing to wear, little to eat and thought they lived in paradise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-43292461127169973762011-02-15T11:26:40.810-05:002011-02-15T11:26:40.810-05:00To round out this trifecta of good cheer, I recomm...To round out this trifecta of good cheer, I recommend "Cruel Hunters" by French MacLean.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-2233513687025181832011-02-15T11:24:58.871-05:002011-02-15T11:24:58.871-05:00Better than reading a book of no-knock jokes! And ...Better than reading a book of no-knock jokes! And for more cheery, try LeGuin's "The Dispossessed".Oleg Volkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06547911680603650247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-38741026456622137832011-02-15T11:22:04.990-05:002011-02-15T11:22:04.990-05:00For lighter fare, you'll like Hammer and Tickl...For lighter fare, you'll like <a href="http://boingboing.net/2008/06/17/hammer-and-tickle-bo.html" rel="nofollow">Hammer and Tickle</a>, a book of subversive jokes from Russia in the Soviet period.<br /><br />For example: "Is it true that Marxism-Leninism is scientific?" "Nyet, surely not. If it were, they would have tested it on animals first." <br /><br />And you can wash it down with an ice cold <a href="http://borepatch.blogspot.com/2011/01/imbibers-of-world-unite.html" rel="nofollow">Leninade</a>! Their marketing is pretty funny: "A taste worth standing in line for!"Borepatchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com