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Ok ok Q reff asides there's a whole page full of video references here, time for at least one book thread.
"The grand design." by Stephen hawking. In many ways a modernized version of "A brief history of time" updated to the modern world of physics.Hawking tried to make complex science understandable to the slightly above average crowd and succeeded. The book is not for most people. If you're interested in modern physics it's a good primer. There was a huge smear campaign against it by the usual suspects, and a book called "the grand design; Male and female he made them" was written more or less out of spite and to possibly confuse some people looking to get the original.
"But the universe is a big place, and whatever happens, you will not be missed..."
Finally Reading Dune. It is a slogthrough, but I am enjoying it so much.
~ Shrap
Rolling 1's for five and a half decades.
AoS * Konflikt '47 * Conquest Last Argument of Kings * Trench Crusade * Horus Heresy * The Old World * Armoured Clash
Shrapnelsmile wrote: Finally Reading Dune. It is a slogthrough, but I am enjoying it so much.
I find Dune a bit like Gardens of the Moon (by Steven Erikson) in that they are great stories, but they actually improve upon a second reading. Not the next day, but the next time you read them they are much easier to get into because so much of the extensive world-building you're more aware of. So the new terms and ideas are much easier to take on board early in the story. Which helps you focus more on characters and slightly less on the world.
Shrapnelsmile wrote: Finally Reading Dune. It is a slogthrough, but I am enjoying it so much.
I find Dune a bit like Gardens of the Moon (by Steven Erikson) in that they are great stories, but they actually improve upon a second reading. Not the next day, but the next time you read them they are much easier to get into because so much of the extensive world-building you're more aware of. So the new terms and ideas are much easier to take on board early in the story. Which helps you focus more on characters and slightly less on the world.
I love Dune, probably my favourite book because the world building is so evocative, but I totally agree. I’ve read it at least half a dozen times, probably more, and just about reached the point where I’m not spotting new stuff every time I read it. And even then, there’s so much intricacy that different “scenes“ have a slightly different tone every time. Go back to it in 6-months to a year after you finish it, it will be worth it.
I have a lot of books that I love, many of which are classics that lots of you will have read. A couple of less well known ones that I would recommend are Imhotep (and sequels) by Jerry Dubs and the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne.
Imhotep is kind of a murder-mystery (almost Noir) thriller set in the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt; it’s an interesting and well placed plot set in a beautifully realised world. It really sucks you in and makes this ancient civilisation a real, living place.
The Iron Druid series (starting with Hounded) is what I would class as really good pulp; low fantasy action adventure with gods and witches set in the modern world, but it’s got some interesting twists on that concept and the books are just damn good fun. One of my friends got me the first book as a joke gift (I had a DND Druid character who had an unfortunate incident with a Hell Hound, that became a long running party joke) and I ended up cursing him for it, because after reading the first novel I had to go and spend £40 buying all of the sequels (and there are a lot!). The series has actually finished (for the time being), because the author is at least smart enough not to milk it to death and leave it in a narratively satisfying ending (with a question mark to allow restarting).
Zed wrote: *All statements reflect my opinion at this moment. if some sort of pretty new model gets released (or if I change my mind at random) I reserve the right to jump on any bandwagon at will.
When my kids were teething they'd gnaw on every book they had. I always meant to film a video and include a food review type narration. Dr Seuss is a bit salty but Sandra Boynton is little on the sweet side...
BobtheInquisitor wrote: Read through the Mercy Thompson series and some Dresden Files as both series have new books coming soon. Read some Bolo stories to the kids.
Were you able to read "the last command" with dry eyes?
This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 2020/07/05 14:07:33
"But the universe is a big place, and whatever happens, you will not be missed..."
Soo with my computer deciding it doesn't like Windows 10 and thus resulting in lots of troubleshooting and resinstalling windows and god knows what else (its not yet fixed) I've wound up reading a bit faster than my normal "few pages before bed".
Thus I've devoured the Eisenhorn Trilogy! Great stuff in there and really exciting to see the world through the eyes of the Inquisition of the Imperium! I've moved on now to the Ravenor Trilogy then I'll likely swing back for Magos and more Eisenhorn.
Overread wrote: Soo with my computer deciding it doesn't like Windows 10 and thus resulting in lots of troubleshooting and resinstalling windows and god knows what else .
God, sir, has nothing to do with windows 10.
"But the universe is a big place, and whatever happens, you will not be missed..."
I have over the last week or so read the Finish book Kalevala. it is a collection of Finish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology, very fine read and I am glad am able to read it in Finish. Also highly recommended to anyone interested in the things I mentioned or folklore from Scandinavia
Overread wrote: Soo with my computer deciding it doesn't like Windows 10 and thus resulting in lots of troubleshooting and resinstalling windows and god knows what else .
God, sir, has nothing to do with windows 10.
Windows is a most protestant operating system. You can reach salvation on your own, through hard work and tweaking of the CLI.
Apple's OS is most definitely catholic. You can't do it yourself, you have to go through intermediaries and pass it up the hierarchy chain.
Linux is satan incarnate.
I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.
That is not dead which can eternal lie ...
... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
Been reading The Republic of Pirates to get in my piracy fix. Though its accuracy is questionable since the author cites presumably direct quotes, it’s a pretty cool read. It’s good at using the stories of notable pirates to show how sailors at the time would transition to piracy.
Overread wrote: Soo with my computer deciding it doesn't like Windows 10 and thus resulting in lots of troubleshooting and resinstalling windows and god knows what else .
God, sir, has nothing to do with windows 10.
Windows is a most protestant operating system. You can reach salvation on your own, through hard work and tweaking of the CLI.
Apple's OS is most definitely catholic. You can't do it yourself, you have to go through intermediaries and pass it up the hierarchy chain.
Linux is satan incarnate.
Now now, don’t “bash” on poor Linux.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2020/07/23 21:17:30
Faithful... Enlightened... Ambitious... Brethren... WE NEED A NEW DRIVER! THIS ONE IS DEAD!
I'm reading Short Stories Collections vol 2, by Philip K. Dick, my favorite american writer. In Italy all of his short stories have been published in 4 volumes, 550-600 pages each. In other countries they have been released in more volumes and some of the longer stories even in a standalone book.
That guy was a genius, too bad that he wrote for 40 years and never had success. He died a few months before Blade Runner (adaptation of one of his works) was released, and once the movie became a milestone in the history of cinema he was considered by the critics one of the most influent writers in sci-fiction.
Blackie wrote: I'm reading Short Stories Collections vol 2, by Philip K. Dick, my favorite american writer. In Italy all of his short stories have been published in 4 volumes, 550-600 pages each. In other countries they have been released in more volumes and some of the longer stories even in a standalone book.
That guy was a genius, too bad that he wrote for 40 years and never had success. He died a few months before Blade Runner (adaptation of one of his works) was released, and once the movie became a milestone in the history of cinema he was considered by the critics one of the most influent writers in sci-fiction.
I wasn’t aware Blade Runner was an adaptation of a book. Would it be by any chance Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? They both sound somewhat similar.
Faithful... Enlightened... Ambitious... Brethren... WE NEED A NEW DRIVER! THIS ONE IS DEAD!
Overread wrote: Soo with my computer deciding it doesn't like Windows 10 and thus resulting in lots of troubleshooting and resinstalling windows and god knows what else .
God, sir, has nothing to do with windows 10.
Windows is a most protestant operating system. You can reach salvation on your own, through hard work and tweaking of the CLI.
Apple's OS is most definitely catholic. You can't do it yourself, you have to go through intermediaries and pass it up the hierarchy chain.
Linux is satan incarnate.
Damn, that's funny!
BTW, I'll see you in hell.
"But the universe is a big place, and whatever happens, you will not be missed..."
Blackie wrote: I'm reading Short Stories Collections vol 2, by Philip K. Dick, my favorite american writer. In Italy all of his short stories have been published in 4 volumes, 550-600 pages each. In other countries they have been released in more volumes and some of the longer stories even in a standalone book.
That guy was a genius, too bad that he wrote for 40 years and never had success. He died a few months before Blade Runner (adaptation of one of his works) was released, and once the movie became a milestone in the history of cinema he was considered by the critics one of the most influent writers in sci-fiction.
I wasn’t aware Blade Runner was an adaptation of a book. Would it be by any chance Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? They both sound somewhat similar.
Zed wrote: *All statements reflect my opinion at this moment. if some sort of pretty new model gets released (or if I change my mind at random) I reserve the right to jump on any bandwagon at will.
Blackie wrote: I'm reading Short Stories Collections vol 2, by Philip K. Dick, my favorite american writer. In Italy all of his short stories have been published in 4 volumes, 550-600 pages each. In other countries they have been released in more volumes and some of the longer stories even in a standalone book.
That guy was a genius, too bad that he wrote for 40 years and never had success. He died a few months before Blade Runner (adaptation of one of his works) was released, and once the movie became a milestone in the history of cinema he was considered by the critics one of the most influent writers in sci-fiction.
I wasn’t aware Blade Runner was an adaptation of a book. Would it be by any chance Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? They both sound somewhat similar.
It's exactly that The adaptation is quite different from the novel though.
Blackie wrote: I'm reading Short Stories Collections vol 2, by Philip K. Dick, my favorite american writer. In Italy all of his short stories have been published in 4 volumes, 550-600 pages each. In other countries they have been released in more volumes and some of the longer stories even in a standalone book.
That guy was a genius, too bad that he wrote for 40 years and never had success. He died a few months before Blade Runner (adaptation of one of his works) was released, and once the movie became a milestone in the history of cinema he was considered by the critics one of the most influent writers in sci-fiction.
I wasn’t aware Blade Runner was an adaptation of a book. Would it be by any chance Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? They both sound somewhat similar.
It's exactly that The adaptation is quite different from the novel though.
Thank you both for the clarification! Truth be told, I seem to have trouble noticing the subtleties in film. Reading the book might help with that.
Faithful... Enlightened... Ambitious... Brethren... WE NEED A NEW DRIVER! THIS ONE IS DEAD!
Overread wrote: Soo with my computer deciding it doesn't like Windows 10 and thus resulting in lots of troubleshooting and resinstalling windows and god knows what else .
God, sir, has nothing to do with windows 10.
Windows is a most protestant operating system. You can reach salvation on your own, through hard work and tweaking of the CLI.
Apple's OS is most definitely catholic. You can't do it yourself, you have to go through intermediaries and pass it up the hierarchy chain.
Linux is satan incarnate.
Damn, that's funny!
BTW, I'll see you in hell.
And what operating system is for godless apostates?
...
In any case, I was considering converting to the Horned One in this context...
Overread wrote: Soo with my computer deciding it doesn't like Windows 10 and thus resulting in lots of troubleshooting and resinstalling windows and god knows what else .
God, sir, has nothing to do with windows 10.
Windows is a most protestant operating system. You can reach salvation on your own, through hard work and tweaking of the CLI.
Apple's OS is most definitely catholic. You can't do it yourself, you have to go through intermediaries and pass it up the hierarchy chain.
Linux is satan incarnate.
Damn, that's funny!
BTW, I'll see you in hell.
And what operating system is for godless apostates?
...
In any case, I was considering converting to the Horned One in this context...
Zed wrote: *All statements reflect my opinion at this moment. if some sort of pretty new model gets released (or if I change my mind at random) I reserve the right to jump on any bandwagon at will.
I've started reading "The Stand" by Stephen King. It's about a global "superflu" pandemic which wipes out 99% of the global population and the survivor's struggle to rebuild what's left of the US. I'm about 1/3 the way in as it's a long, long read, and am still on the fence about wherever to continue. The first 1/4 is fantastically written, the collapse of society is pretty chilling particularly given the current Covid climate, but the book is starting to go rather supernatural. While this is typical King fashion, I was hoping he wasn't going to go supernatural with this particular premise. It's not my preferred genre, I would rather he have kept it realistic and grounded, but I might continue and see where it goes.
Trondheim wrote: I have over the last week or so read the Finish book Kalevala. it is a collection of Finish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology, very fine read and I am glad am able to read it in Finish. Also highly recommended to anyone interested in the things I mentioned or folklore from Scandinavia
I just got this for free on my Kindle. I wanted to read it after finding out it inspired Tolkien somewhat, and being a fan of korpiklaani.
Right now I'm on lost tales by Tolkien. It's like a Bible creation myth for his worlds.
Lately I've read:
'the prince' by Machiavelli, which really wasn't as crazy as it's made out to be, and didn't hold anything particularly profound for me.
'Phaedo,' by Plato. A recount of Socrates final day and philosophical words before his execution.
'The death of tragedy' by nietszche. A theory on the dichotomy of art framed around the relationship between Apollo and Dionysus.
'Brave new world' by Aldous Huxley. A dystopian future novel with some worrying parallels to today.
In the queue I have:
'an essay on human understanding' by John locke.
'the symposium' by Plato
'dune' by Frank Herbert
'the foundation series' by Isaac Asimov
In regards to machiavelli, discorsi are just more substance compared to the prince .
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2020/07/29 21:53:22
https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/766717.page A Mostly Renegades and Heretics blog.
GW:"Space marines got too many options to balance, therefore we decided to legends HH units." Players: "why?!? Now we finally got decent plastic kits and you cut them?" Chaos marines players: "Since when are Daemonengines 30k models and why do i have NO droppods now?" GW" MONEY.... erm i meant TOO MANY OPTIONS (to resell your army to you again by disalowing former units)! Do you want specific tyranid fighiting Primaris? Even a new sabotage lieutnant!" Chaos players: Guess i stop playing or go to HH.
5000pts 
6000pts 
3000pts
Faithful... Enlightened... Ambitious... Brethren... WE NEED A NEW DRIVER! THIS ONE IS DEAD! 
