Maggie is so much fun. She went through this growling phase that sounded vaguely familiar. I kept asking my lovely wife where we had heard that sound. She could not place it. I don't think she ever watched Empire Strikes Back. I think Maggie sounded like those two legged creatures that Han Solo and Luke Skywalker rode.
She was standing in front of the open fridge, happily emptying the bottom shelf. The beeping at the end is the fridge complaining that the door was open too long.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Librivox (Books already within the public domain)
http://librivox.org/
Books whose copyright has expired. 15% of books
Published prior to 1923.
70 years after death of author.
(this is a little simplified, a more more thorough listing can be found in the following link)
http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/public_domain/
Since these books are already public property. Volunteers read these book for free, and post them on the Librivox site. There are a lot of really good books.
Some titles I have listened to recently
Some of Mark Twain's works
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville
This book was written by a Frenchman with the propose of helping France to devise a better system of government. It is a great historical account of 1831 America and France. I learned a little about politics and political science. I would like to learn more.
The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith.
Economics is pretty cool.
The Federalist Papers
The Anti-Federalist Papers
Books whose copyright has expired. 15% of books
Published prior to 1923.
70 years after death of author.
(this is a little simplified, a more more thorough listing can be found in the following link)
http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/public_domain/
Since these books are already public property. Volunteers read these book for free, and post them on the Librivox site. There are a lot of really good books.
Some titles I have listened to recently
Some of Mark Twain's works
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville
This book was written by a Frenchman with the propose of helping France to devise a better system of government. It is a great historical account of 1831 America and France. I learned a little about politics and political science. I would like to learn more.
The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith.
Economics is pretty cool.
The Federalist Papers
The Anti-Federalist Papers
The Happiness Hypothesis
The Happines Hypothesis
Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom
by Jonathan Haidt
No personal review yet. This book was quoted in one of the Radiology Journals. This article talked about the money trap. Doctors can make a lot of money, and they get get sucked into the money making. And this makes them unhappy. They forget all the cool things about the profession. There is amazing anatomy and physiology, problem solving, and helping others. A bigger salary does not make one happier. Enjoy the process. Explore areas of interest.
Booklist Review
Using the wisdom culled from the world's greatest civilizations as a foundation, social psychologist Haidt comes to terms with 10 Great Ideas, viewing them through a contemporary filter to learn which of their lessons may still apply to modern lives. He first discusses how the mind works and then examines the Golden Rule ("Reciprocity is the most important tool for getting along with people"). Next, he addresses the issue of happiness itself--where does it come from?--before exploring the conditions that allow growth and development. He also dares to answer the question that haunts most everyone--What is the meaning of life?--by again drawing on ancient ideas and incorporating recent research findings. He concludes with the question of meaning: Why do some find it? Balancing ancient wisdom and modern science, Haidt consults great minds of the past, from Buddha to Lao Tzu and from Plato to Freud, as well as some not-so-greats: even Dr. Phil is mentioned. Fascinating stuff, accessibly expressed. June Sawyers
Flyboys
Flyboys
by James Bradley
Personal review to follow. I have not listened to this book yet. But Flags of our Fathers was great.
Amazon review
The best selling author of Flags of our Fathers turns his attention to those pilots who fought in the Pacific during the Second World War. The result is a magnificent historical study and a fitting tribute to those who fought and died. Never anything less than supremely readable, the author intersperses a dramatic retelling of the Japanese-American war of the 1940's with the heartbreaking story of the fates of a handful of American 'flyboys' who were shot down and captured by the Japanese on the remote island of Chichi Jima. Tragically, their fates were kept from their families, a silence that the author swore to shatter. Understandably the author's focus swings more toward the American point of view, but Bradley also has no intention of sparing us the finer details of just what each side was capable of doing to the other- the use of napalm and atomic weapons on blatantly civilian targets by the Americans, the Japanese abuse and murder of prisoners of war- all are here. Despite the swing to a wide focus, the real tragedy of this story is never forgotten though- the loss of young, unformed lives on both sides- the tragedy of 'what might have been.' Balanced and unsparing in its study of the barbarity of war, yet always searching for the underlying cause and meaning of such horror, this book cannot be recommended enough. (Kirkus UK)
Moby Dick
Moby Dick
by Herman Melville
You know the plot. I reread (relistened) to this book. The sperm whale is amazing. I want to look at a CT (CAT scan) of this animal to see what it looks like. the head is one third of the length of the body. The spermaceti fills a large portion of the head. Cold water is circulated through the spermaceti organs, which solidified this waxy substance. The spermaceti has increased density, decreased buoyancy, and helps the whale to dive. During the dive, metabolic heat melts the spermaceti, increasing its volume, decreasing its density and increasing the buoyancy. It also stores oxygen. Cool metabolism.
Wiki is amazing.
Hank the Cowdog
Hank the Cowdog
by John Erikson
These are fun books. They are writ en for young adults, but fun for everybody. Let me tell you about my introduction to these book. Several years ago, the Stegelmeier clan had gathered for the winter family party. We borrowed the Walker's cabin and ate and visited and snowmobiled. My sister, Lorana, started reading these books out loud. One might expect just the kids and young teens to have shown interest, but she had the whole upstairs of the cabin packed. Great imagination, fun stories, great songs.
Books:
The Original Adventure of Hank the Cowdog
The Case of the Car-Barkaholic Dog
The Case of the Garbage Monster
The Case of the Haystack Kitties The Case of the Hooking Bull
The Case of the Midnight Rustler
The Case of the Missing Cat
The Case of the Mysterious ringing
The Phanton in the Mirror
Spring Branding
There are over 50 Hank the Cowdog titles.
Vampire Cat
The Innovator's Dilemma
The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail
by Clayton M Christensen
Clayton M Christensen is a Latter Day Saint. My wife remember discussing some of his ideas in college (my wife has an accounting degree from BYU). The author is an associate professor at Harvard Business School.
One of the radiology journals quoted this book. The article was discussing the technological innovations facing Radiology. I liked the ideas and ordered the book.
No personal review yet. I have not listened to this book.
Amazon.com Review
What do the Honda Supercub, Intel's 8088 processor, and hydraulic excavators have in common? They are all examples of disruptive technologies that helped to redefine the competitive landscape of their respective markets. These products did not come about as the result of successful companies carrying out sound business practices in established markets. In The Innovator's Dilemma, author Clayton M. Christensen shows how these and other products cut into the low end of the marketplace and eventually evolved to displace high-end competitors and their reigning technologies.
At the heart of The Innovator's Dilemma is how a successful company with established products keeps from being pushed aside by newer, cheaper products that will, over time, get better and become a serious threat. Christensen writes that even the best-managed companies, in spite of their attention to customers and continual investment in new technology, are susceptible to failure no matter what the industry, be it hard drives or consumer retailing. Succinct and clearly written, The Innovator's Dilemma is an important book that belongs on every manager's bookshelf. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards
At the heart of The Innovator's Dilemma is how a successful company with established products keeps from being pushed aside by newer, cheaper products that will, over time, get better and become a serious threat. Christensen writes that even the best-managed companies, in spite of their attention to customers and continual investment in new technology, are susceptible to failure no matter what the industry, be it hard drives or consumer retailing. Succinct and clearly written, The Innovator's Dilemma is an important book that belongs on every manager's bookshelf. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards
Audio Book Swap
I enjoy listening to audio books during road trips and commuting to work. The purpose of this portion of the blog is to share book ideas and to share these books. Please email me if there are any books you would like to borrow. And perhaps you have suggestions for books I might like.
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