Author Topic: The Library (Read 2088355 times)

hats · « **Reply #4800 on:** April 20, 2011, 03:10:30 PM »

The Library

Our library cafe is open 24/7, the welcome mat is always out.
Do come in from daily chores and spend some time with us.

We look forward to hearing from you, about you and the books you are enjoying (or not).

Let the book talk begin here!

*Suggestion Box for Future Discussions
*SeniorLearn's Archives

I have a new email address. Not sure where to post the new email.

ginny · « **Reply #4801 on:** April 20, 2011, 03:23:15 PM »

Hey, Hats! We are very glad to see you again!

Please click on Profle on the lowest blue bar above and you can put in your email address there so people can write you.

It's strange but I found in reading that the e readers actually allow me to read things that normally take me a lot slower. Have you tried a kindle or I pad?

Welcome back!

hats · « **Reply #4802 on:** April 20, 2011, 03:28:53 PM »

Hi Ginny,

Yes, I have a Kindle. My boys bought me one for Christmas. I cried. That's how badly I wanted one. I giggled too. I really got hysterical. I do forget that I have it. I find myself running for a book first. Then, remembering my Kindle. It's the best gift. Okay, I'll try the profile thingy. Thanks for having me. Thank you.

ginny · « **Reply #4803 on:** April 20, 2011, 03:40:57 PM »

We are DELIGHTED to see you again, now don't go away! What a sweet gift, everybody I know who has one loves it.

I have an I Phone and I'm finding out (despite people saying you can't read on them) that I can read in small snatches things I find difficult in the larger book form. Go figure. hahaha

LarryHanna · « **Reply #4804 on:** April 20, 2011, 03:53:45 PM »

Hi everyone.

Ginny I believe I am seeing what you indicated should show at the top and bottom of the screen.

I read online today that Amazon is going to make their Kindle books library available through 11,000 libraries for free checkout and had reached an agreement with Overdrive, which apparently many places use as their ebook service provider. It will be interesting to see how that is going to work. Here is a link to one of the articles I saw about this if you are interested and they are adding an interesting twist: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2011/04/amazon-to-launch-library-lending-for-kindle-books/1 I will be most anxious to see how this works and it should greatly expand the number of books and copies available for the libraries to loan.

jane · « **Reply #4805 on:** April 20, 2011, 05:09:54 PM »

If anyone who before indicated they couldn't see the ads and can NOW see them but can't find a REPLY button will email me at janeiowa@gmail.com

Thanks!

jane

Frybabe · « **Reply #4806 on:** April 20, 2011, 05:12:16 PM »

Hi Hats. It is so nice to have you back.

That is great news, Larry. I was just up on my library's website two days ago and was disappointed to see they didn't support Kindle. They use Overdrive, so I am looking forward, now, to joining.

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #4807 on:** April 20, 2011, 05:33:48 PM »

Hats its great to have you back with us. I'm sure you will enjoy the kindle book reader. I have been using the Nook Color Nook color. Hopefully you will be back with us in our book discussions.

Harold Arnold

pedln · « **Reply #4808 on:** April 20, 2011, 06:45:09 PM »

Hats, it is just absolutely super to see you here again. Please do come join us at Clara and Mr. Tiffany

Everybody Come!!

This book is just fascinating, with much to offer in addition to Tiffany Glass. There's Mr. Tiffany and his father, Clara and the Tiffany Girls, boarding house life and the customs and mores of life in New York during the Gilded Age. And Walt Whitman and Emma Lazarus, too. My first Susan Vreeland, but it won't be my last.

Hats, I know what you mean when you talk about taking five hours when one used to do it. But I'm glad you have a Kindle. I love mine. I got it last fall and then had to get a bigger purse so I could always carry it with me.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #4809 on:** April 20, 2011, 07:31:42 PM »

Hi Hats, glad to hear from you again. ..... Jean

nlhome · « **Reply #4810 on:** April 20, 2011, 07:36:19 PM »

Wow, I now can see everything that everyone is talking about, plus what I saw before. I always use the "quick reply" and always have.

I odn't have a Kindle, right now have no interest, but our library does use Overdrive, and I can see the value. When I get a reader, it will be to access the books such as those on Project Gutenberg that are beyond copyright. I have a list of old books I want to look at. Of course, now I'm lucky to have time to read the books I check out from the library - not enough hours in the day for all I have to do and books take a backseat.

JoanR · « **Reply #4811 on:** April 20, 2011, 07:37:20 PM »

Dear Hats - so glad that you're back with us! I know what you mean by slowing down - everything takes me forever to do now. My days of producing feasts for 8 or 10 people are definitely over. Books take me twice as long to read and as for memorizing my Latin grammar _yikes!!!! However I take great joy in what I can do, and try not to regret what I can't do. There is still plenty to enjoy!

Ginny and Jane - I have the little yellow Amazon box on top and nothing on the bottom when I'm in here. When I went to the home page for seniorlearn , I had the little Amazon box on top and on the bottom I found a white box that refers to Amazon Kindle. That was all. Is that helpful?

PatH · « **Reply #4812 on:** April 20, 2011, 07:40:27 PM »

Hats, I'm so glad to see you again, I've really missed you. Please stick around, we need your thoughtful input.

jane · « **Reply #4813 on:** April 20, 2011, 08:38:34 PM »

Quote from: JoanR on April 20, 2011, 07:37:20 PM

Ginny and Jane - I have the little yellow Amazon box on top and nothing on the bottom when I'm in here. When I went to the home page for seniorlearn , I had the little Amazon box on top and on the bottom I found a white box that refers to Amazon Kindle. That was all. Is that helpful?

Does anything look different now, JoanR? I added you to the patch. Do you see the ads top and bottom now?

Jonathan · « **Reply #4814 on:** April 20, 2011, 08:56:51 PM »

Hi, Hats. What a nice surprise to hear from you. As you can see, we've all missed you. I'll be looking for your posts.

MaryPage · « **Reply #4815 on:** April 20, 2011, 09:40:42 PM »

Oh, Dear Hats! How lovely to see you again. Do stay.

Jane, everything back to normal. I'm not seeing anything out of the ordinary and I can post again. Thank you!

jane · « **Reply #4816 on:** April 20, 2011, 10:07:22 PM »

Great!! Thanks to everyone for being patient while we experiment with a patch to our seeing ads/losing reply button. If there's ever such a problem, please email me by clicking on my name.

jane

Gumtree · « **Reply #4817 on:** April 21, 2011, 04:30:11 AM »

Hey there HATS -

we've missed you all this while. - Vreeland is such a good and interesting read but I've still to get my hands on Clara and Mr Tiffany - I guess I'd better do that soon.
Great to 'see' you again.

JoanR · « **Reply #4818 on:** April 21, 2011, 07:34:55 AM »

Now I have the white Kindle box and the yellow box on the bottom of this page - also a larger white box. I have just the little yellow Amazon box on top so I think that's what I'm supposed to have, right?

marjifay · « **Reply #4819 on:** April 21, 2011, 07:55:54 AM »

Has anyone heard about Greg Mortenson's book, THREE CUPS OF TEA, apparently being exaggerated? I heard a little of it on some TV program, and then a member of another book group said, "Turns out Mortenson may have been doing a bit more than your standard memoir exaggeration in there. Jon Krakauer, author of several adventure books including "Into Thin Air; A Personal Account of the Mr. Everest Disaster" has said that Mortenson's book is basically a deceit."

http://www.mediabis tro.com/galleyca t/jon-krakauer- publishes- greg-mortenson- expose_b28087

The artical states “Mortenson has built a global reputation as a selfless humanitarian and children’s crusader, and he’s been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is also not what he appears to be. As acclaimed author Jon Krakauer discovered, Mortenson has not only fabricated substantial parts of his bestselling books Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools, but has also misused millions of dollars donated by unsuspecting admirers like Krakauer himself. This is the tragic tale of good intentions gone very wrong.”

I have not read Mortenson's book, but I know it was discussed somewhere here a while back.

Marj

Babi · « **Reply #4820 on:** April 21, 2011, 08:57:00 AM »

GINNY, I'm not big on math either, but I don't think a balance sheet means your assets
and debts have to be equal. I think it means that the final amount on the balance sheet
should accurately show what you actually have available at the end of the month. If my
bank says I've got $xxx.00, and my check register says I have $0XX.00, I've got some
figuring to do! But then, obviously, your finances are going to be a lot more
complicated than mine.

Oh, MARJ, say it isn't so! How could Mortenson's claims have stood up so long, when any
reasonable scrutiny should have exposed them. I do hope he will be able to refute these
charges.

Frybabe · « **Reply #4821 on:** April 21, 2011, 09:15:48 AM »

Babi, a balance sheet does indeed have to balance: Assets=Liabilities+Equity. A check register shows inflow and outflow of cash but does not account for noncash items like a car, house or land (assets) or liabilities like what you still owe on same or credit cards. Equity, when all is said and done, shows ownership or net worth. It's what is truly yours after you add up all your cash and other assets and subtract all outstanding liabilities. I hope I haven't muddled that brief explanation too much.

What a disappointment to see those accusations against Mortenson. Has anyone seen a response from him yet? I haven't.

MaryPage · « **Reply #4822 on:** April 21, 2011, 11:21:24 AM »

Babi, I am afraid Frybabe is correct: a balance sheet must balance. That does not mean your assets and liabilities have to be equal; hey, that would mean you were worth zero! On the contrary, the difference between the value of your assets and the total of your liabilities does indeed equal your net worth. There are A LOT of balance sheets showing a negative net worth these days, and that is a nightmare for those involved (mostly mortgage debt) and for ALL of us!

I get suddenly sick to my stomach every time Greg Mortenson's problems are discussed on television or by someone I know these last few days. I too saw SIXTY MINUTES on Sunday. This is what I think so far: I think Mortenson is different from the rest of us. I think he did indeed build a lot of good working schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. I think he is a dreamer and loses all track of time AND of the details of what actually happened. I think it is entirely possible he has a lot of pure fiction in his books and that his mind is wired in such a way that he actually believes it all. I think a lot of it is true and a lot is not true. I both admire and feel sorry for the man. And I like him and I like his caring about education and girls. I doubt he is a swindler or out to enrich himself. He may well have neglected to do proper accounting.

Jon Krakauer, on the other hand, is a most excellent writer and not someone I would like to know. Will give him an A+ for writing skills and an F for personal skills. Remember well when the 1996 disaster happened on Everest. Everyone who lived, and some of those are dead now, wrote a book. I read every single one, very carefully. Most argued with Krakauer's version and some wound up not speaking to him. There has to be something lacking, but I do not personally know these people, so more than this I cannot express an opinion of.

ANNIE · « **Reply #4823 on:** April 21, 2011, 12:28:17 PM »

Hats!!! Welcome back to our little books and latin site. How nice to see you here. Hope you will join Pedl'n and me in the "Clara and Mr Tiffany" discussion. Very fascinating story and there a multitude of links available on the web about most of the people covered in the book.
MaryPage,
I can't tell you how ripped I felt over Greg Mortensen and 60 minutes. I have been touting this man ever since I read his book and was just crushed Sunday when I heard the accusations BUUUUUUUUUT, I feel much better since I read your post about Krakauer and Mortensen. I don't like Kradauer either but didn't know why. He really comes off as a sleeze bag to me.
My disappointment over Mortensen was overwhelming because in February, my grandson(5th grader) was in a school musical which they had dedicated to Greg. They worked so hard to honor him even to writing music for the play plus using one song written by Tsaye

?? entitled "We Are". They had to get permission for that from the songwriter They titled the musical "Three Cups Away" so as not to step on any toes by using the book title. It was just wonderful. They are all probably hurting by all of this story. What a disappointment for them.
Your post made me feel a little better. I heard on the news, a book editor discussing the same thing about many of these memoirs that are being written. He pretty much said the same things that you did about authors who write books where they have to catch our interest plus making it a readable and believable story. And yes, they do take editorial license in writing their books.

ANNIE · « **Reply #4824 on:** April 21, 2011, 12:32:47 PM »

When you come down to it, its all about ego and book sales. I would just bet that Mortensen's books have outsold Krakauer's books. And did I hear Greg is being touted for something? Can't remember what!

ANNIE · « **Reply #4825 on:** April 21, 2011, 12:41:27 PM »

For those of you on Kindles and Nooks etc etc. I am on my little laptop, MacBook Pro, and I can download any ebooks to it using Adobe Digital Editions. I am reading "Clara and Mr Tiffany" on it. What I am saying is that one can do the same thing on their computers(PCs and Macs) that they can do on their eReaders if they have the appropriate software downloaded. I can even download to my Ipod and have done so many times.
My big thing with my Ipod is downloading audio books which is why I bought it.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #4826 on:** April 21, 2011, 12:48:58 PM »

BBC ran a big article about this whole issue over a week ago - seems the few schools that were built are crumbling not having been built property - the BBC reporters in Afghanistan to cover the war were given the tip and they had interviewed nearly everyone in the book but Mortensen would not talk to him - it turns out according to those who were there he never climbed the K2 and was never picked up by the Taliban - and he spent a fortune promoting his own book which is questioned - the story of what he tried to do is heart rendering and the possibilities of planned hoodwinking seems beyond possibility so that we want to find a way to dismiss these claims - however, if you go past this one reporter to the others who have chased down the story it is not matching our vision of the man - planned or exaggerated for good intentions we do not know as long as he will not talk. But then as MaryPage suggests he may not know himself.

However, there is lots of money not accounted for so whatever happened could be any number of things - from a secret shakedown to mis management - who knows. Too bad because it was a story that made us feel that something positive was happening in what seems like a god forsaken part of the world for women.

MaryPage · « **Reply #4827 on:** April 21, 2011, 01:08:22 PM »

Yes, that was the button that electrified me: the fact that here was a man who actually gave a rap about the opportunities for the female children of our world.

Octavia · « **Reply #4828 on:** April 22, 2011, 04:21:11 AM »

I've been disillusioned so many times about people and events, I don't know what to believe anymore. I just hope nobody tells us that Judy Dench is really rude and nasty, I couldn't stand that.
I tend to order books from Booktopia, they're fast and efficent, and best of all, they only charge one amount of freight. I ordered a poetry book from the UK, which was unavailable here. They kept me informed of every step along the way as if I'd ordered half a dozen books.
I haven't been on line for a week or so, I have a son home for a little while from Malaysia/Thailand, so I've been enjoying his company.
He rides a motorbike, a big reason to concentrate on him! He assures me he's ridden in the chaos of Asian traffic for ages, but something tells me they might have more give and take than Aussie motorists, who can't bear to drive behind anyone, and don't think roundabout rules apply to them personally.

Steph · « **Reply #4829 on:** April 22, 2011, 06:05:08 AM »

Ah ha.. I have a reply button.. I have what I should have, both top and bottom of the page..Hooray for me.
Now.. I must confess that I have always been a little suspicous of Mortenson.. Has to do with how holy you can get and then write about it.. I like Krakauer and like Marypage ( I think it was ),I did read four different books on the horrible climb and what happened. I think they are all different enough that I dont really believe anyone knows exactly how it all occured. All in all I think that Mortenson should not be up for a peace prize, but anyone can be nominated. The money is really a mess, but then people who write about how they helped someone often want donations and dont really know how to handle them.

Babi · « **Reply #4830 on:** April 22, 2011, 08:38:18 AM »

What I meant, MARYPAGE, was that your net worth on the balance sheet should correctly
reflect what you actually have. Truthfully, that word 'balance' is, I think, what threw
Ginny off. As both you and FRYBABE easily gathered, I have no occasion to use balance
sheets, and am very happy about that!

Did anyone else see the item on BBC last night about the trial in Pakistan of six men accused of gang rape? All six were acquitted. I sat there gritting my teeth and wanting to
throw things.

MaryPage · « **Reply #4831 on:** April 22, 2011, 09:11:44 AM »

Unfortunately, very few men in the civilized portion of the world, where women are allowed full freedom while still being discriminated against, recognize the deepest underlying threat from the Middle East and Central Asia and Africa rises from the fact that over half their population is made up of women who are refused rights, education, a political voice, a chance to earn a living, or any other choices. Greg Mortenson appeared to be one of those, and now I fear he will become an icon of derision among the men of such mind-sets.

maryz · « **Reply #4832 on:** April 22, 2011, 10:23:26 AM »

Octavia, we've just come back from Cambodia and Vietnam. The motorcycles in Saigon are truly incredible. Crossing a street on foot is an exercise in faith. And we loved seeing the 70-80 bikes lined up at a traffic light.

Saigon has 8 million people and 4 million motorbikes!

marcie · « **Reply #4833 on:** April 22, 2011, 10:44:40 AM »

It's wonderful to see you again, Hats. I'm waiting in the "hold" line at my public library for Clara and Mr. Tiffany. I hope to join you and others in that discussion.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #4834 on:** April 22, 2011, 03:46:28 PM »

Women in western culture may have more freedoms but they certainly are not safer -

Recent Yale Male Behavior So Sexist the Federal Government Has to Intervene - By Sarah Seltzer, AlterNet
Posted on April 15, 2011

Quote

Several of the incidents leading to the investigation against Yale University have become notorious: frat members chanting “no means yes! yes means anal!” and worse outside the Yale Women’s Center. Members of yet another frat standing outside the same center with signs that read “we love Yale sluts.” Emails that ranked incoming freshman women with identifying information (including their residences on campus), based on "how many beers it would take to have sex with them.” And then there was the repeated theft of students’ “Take Back the Night” art projects, decorated t-shirts detailing personal stories of sexual assault

It’s a horrifying pastiche--no less so because these students are allegedly the cream of the crop, perhaps future presidents among them...It’s the combination of incidents, public and private alike, that led the 16 complainants who filed suit to label Yale a “hostile environment,” one in violation of Title IX’s provisions ensuring a level educational playing field for women. As with all such accusers, these students faced backlash on campus, claims that they were going too far and polarizing their community. But while their peers may doubt them, the government is paying attention.

Quote

Figures from a 2007 Justice Department study indicate that 1 in 5 women will be raped in college, many of whom will never report the crime--1 in 15 of their male peers will also be raped. As we’ve explored at AlterNet, rape and the exploding problem of depression on campus are intimately linked. And the cultural and institutional plagues of shame, turning a blind eye, confusion and secrecy around rape, it should also be noted, can lead to the proportionally smaller, but nonetheless real problem of false rape accusations as well.

Octavia · « **Reply #4835 on:** April 22, 2011, 08:39:02 PM »

Barb, it seems there's a similar culture in our Defence Force Academy.
Maryz, son assures me there are rules to the chaos, and all drivers abide by them-mostly

.
Did you enjoy Vietnam? I always wanted to go there. My sons have been to most of Asia, but no one's made it to Vietnam yet. Is it very touristy?
i've tried to get Major Pettigrew from the Library, but I can't see it happening for ages, unfortunately. There never seems to be enough copies in our library.
I see son is reading An Equal Music. It seems to have rave reviews, I hope he leaves it behind when he moves on.

maryz · « **Reply #4836 on:** April 22, 2011, 09:48:53 PM »

Octavia, this trip was mostly on a boat on the Mekong River - from Siem Reap, Cambodia, to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). We enjoyed seeing the small towns along the river. We spent two nights at a hotel in the center of old Saigon. There was a lot of stuff directed toward tourists, but a lot of just regular "downtown" stuff. Much of what we were shown on our tours was related to the Vietnam war. That was pretty tough to see and hear about - and, of course, from their point of view (with the Americans as the enemy). For us specifically, we don't particularly like big cities, so we probably did not get out and walk around as much as we should. I don't know how it would be staying farther out from the city center.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #4837 on:** April 23, 2011, 02:43:12 AM »

Barb - I can well believe the information you have given us about Yale. I don't think men like that, in privileged positions that they have mostly held from birth, ever change. I am sure it would be the same with many public (ie top private) school students here. They are brought up to be arrogant and scornful of anyone who disagrees with them. The most worrying thing is that, as you say, these men will one day be running the world.

My son went to an open day at one of the Scottish universities (not one of the old ones, as it happens) and was appalled at the laddish, drinking, culture. I was a student at one of the oldest universities in the UK, and although people did obviously drink and get drunk then, it was nothing like it is today - the whole of Freshers' Week is now one long drinking session, and it doesn't seem to stop after that. Everything seems to have become so much more brutal and excessive - although even in my day the old Etonians (for whom there were closed scholarships at my college) had their own drinking clubs and thought nothing of then marauding around the place, urinating against the walls and vomiting. If you have seen the scene in Brideshead Revisited when Sebastian and Charles first meet, nothing has much changed for the wealthy, for whom there seem to be no consequences for anything. And like your Yale students, our old Etonians largely rule the country.

Rosemary

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #4838 on:** April 23, 2011, 03:21:18 AM »

Have any of you Kindle, etc, owners tried this site:

http://www.manybooks.net/

which is recommended on a site I like, "Thoughts from a Compulsive Reader" - she says it's her favourite source of free books for e-readers, a bit like Project Gutenberg I suppose but she seems to think this is better.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #4839 on:** April 23, 2011, 06:09:07 AM »

Will try the Manybooks site.. I have a number of the sites downloaded on my IPAD.. Kindle actually works the very best in that it is uncomplicated and has the same information that Amazon has on the books.. So you can read a bit to see how you feel about it.
It is sad to read about the males in the world who simply dont get it.. But to some extent the college stupidity seems more inclined to be youth and stupid rather than lifelong stupid..
The men acquited of the rape were told to rape the woman by the village elders. This is the case where the womans brother was seeing a woman of higher status in the village and her brothers demanded the family be punished. Sooo they did not punish the man, but his sister. Now that is barbaric. I do not consider that type of person a human at all.

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Author Topic: The Library (Read 2088355 times)