What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story? (49)

Sep 3, 2012 2:51 PM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Marc2010
Marc2010Marc2010Paris, Ile-de-France France16 Threads 75 Posts
Hi everybody,

What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?

Cheers wine

Marc
Sep 3, 2012 2:57 PM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Marc2010
Marc2010Marc2010Paris, Ile-de-France France16 Threads 75 Posts
I have just read that beautiful letter of Joseph Lepaute Dagelet (a French Astronomer) to William Dawes before the French expedition's departure from Botany Bay in March 1788 at:



Kind regards

Marc wine
Sep 3, 2012 5:09 PM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
lonelygal122
lonelygal122lonelygal122HallsGap, Victoria Australia8 Threads 4,567 Posts
Marc2010: I have just read that beautiful letter of Joseph Lepaute Dagelet (a French Astronomer) to William Dawes before the French expedition's departure from Botany Bay in March 1788 at:



Kind regards

Marc
Ive just started reading the second book in the 'Fifty Shades Trilogy.'
Your not gonna make me tell you about it are ya?blushing blushing blushing
Sep 3, 2012 6:57 PM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
curly28
curly28curly28Perth, Western Australia Australia53 Threads 5,450 Posts
I have just finished reading "Fear The Worst" by Linwood Barclay

Murder /crime mystery novel .... I have also read his other book "Too close to home" it was a good one and now heading to the book store to get the 3rd one called "No time for goodbye" I am reading quiet a bit at the moment because I am rained off work quiet a bit being rainy season and it helps to stimulate my brain plus boredom uh oh yawn nerd OH! yeah been told it helps with the onset of dementia think that could have some truth in it but really I love to curl up with a gripping novel and lose myself in a fantasy world thumbs up
Sep 4, 2012 9:29 AM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Marc2010
Marc2010Marc2010Paris, Ile-de-France France16 Threads 75 Posts
curly28: I have just finished reading "Fear The Worst" by Linwood Barclay...


Thanks Curly. I am reading now his biography on his website at and a review of "Fear the Worst" at .

"...Fear the Worst

by Linwood Barclay

Tim Blake’s teenaged daughter Sydney has vanished. Her supposed co-workers claim never to have heard of her. The police begin to turn their investigation toward Blake. As the days stretch into weeks, the lack of answers begins to drive Blake to desperate acts of recklessness. In Fear the Worst, author Linwood Barclay milks this scenario for every ounce of suspense he can.

Barclay has earned favourable comparisons with American novelist Harlan Coben, a well-regarded purveyor of domestic terrors. Although both authors traverse the same thematic territory, employing admirably lean prose and rich character development, Barclay neatly sidesteps the third-act woes that often plague Coben.

Like the best suspense novels, Fear the Worst expertly navigates an increasingly jumbled plot with clarity and precision. It is a given that such novels include red herrings galore, but Barclay keeps the story moving at such a terrific clip that the 400+ pages fly by.

Barclay never sacrifices character development for action. Fear the Worst would not work half as well if Blake were anything less than a full-blooded individual who commands empathy from the reader.

If there is a quibble, it’s that as exceptional a ride as Fear the Worst is, it evaporates quickly after the last page is turned. Unlike the novels of Andrew Pyper (arguably Canada’s most criminally underrated thriller writer), which resonate long after completion, Barclay’s tale is like a Hollywood blockbuster, providing popcorn thrills and chills but not affecting the reader beyond an immediate visceral impact. Despite this minor complaint, Fear the Worst is excellent entertainment, smart and satisfying.

Reviewed by Corey Redekop..."

Kind regards.

Marc beer
Sep 6, 2012 3:19 AM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
wash2u
wash2uwash2uMelbourne, Victoria Australia79 Threads 1 Polls 3,768 Posts
I am currently reading, amongst many other half read books, "The Hyena Run" by David Morton. Set in Zimbabwe in the 80s about a kidnapping and the search for the wife and children.

Although can't wait to finish it to start my next book "Outback Stations" by Evan McHugh. A bit about some of the large cattle and sheep properties in the outback. Many I have heard of, a few I have been through but will be interesting to read some more about them.

Anna Creek is the largest cattle station in the world. But very hard to get permission to go off the 3 main roads within it. Many people have visited the hotel on it, William Creek where planes used to land on the only road to fill up with Avgas at the servo pumps.
Sep 6, 2012 6:10 PM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Good Day Marc... for myself, I am onto the last pages of " The believing brain" by Michael Shermer.

Although I never seem to have one book open at a time, so I also have " The Third Policeman" by Flann O'Brien.
Sep 8, 2012 3:20 PM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Marc2010
Marc2010Marc2010Paris, Ile-de-France France16 Threads 75 Posts
Thanks Abagail. Hope you have good time for your first hot days in Victoria.

I have just read a long article about "The believing brain" at:



"...The Believing Brain: From Ghosts, Gods, and Aliens to Conspiracies, Economics, and Politics—How the Brain Constructs Beliefs and Reinforces Them as Truths...

In this, his magnum opus, one of the world’s best known skeptics and critical thinkers Dr. Michael Shermer—founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and perennial monthly columnist (“Skeptic”) for Scientific American—presents his comprehensive theory on how beliefs are born, formed, nourished, reinforced, challenged, changed, and extinguished. This book synthesizes Dr. Shermer’s 30 years of research to answer the questions of how and why we believe what we do in all aspects of our lives, from our suspicions and superstitions to our politics, economics, and social beliefs. In this book Dr. Shermer is interested in more than just why people believe weird things, or why people believe this or that claim, but in why people believe anything at all. His thesis is straightforward:

We form our beliefs for a variety of subjective, personal, emotional, and psychological reasons in the context of environments created by family, friends, colleagues, culture, and society at large; after forming our beliefs we then defend, justify, and rationalize them with a host of intellectual reasons, cogent arguments, and rational explanations. Beliefs come first, explanations for beliefs follow.

Dr. Shermer also provides the neuroscience behind our beliefs. The brain is a belief engine. From sensory data flowing in through the senses the brain naturally begins to look for and find patterns, and then infuses those patterns with meaning. The first process Dr. Shermer calls patternicity: the tendency to find meaningful patterns in both meaningful and meaningless data. The second process he calls agenticity: the tendency to infuse patterns with meaning, intention, and agency.

We can’t help believing. Our brains evolved to connect the dots of our world into meaningful patterns that explain why things happen. These meaningful patterns become beliefs. Once beliefs are formed the brain begins to look for and find confirmatory evidence in support of those beliefs, which adds an emotional boost of further confidence in the beliefs and thereby accelerates the process of reinforcing them, and round and round the process goes in a positive feedback loop of belief confirmation. Dr. Shermer outlines the numerous cognitive tools our brains engage to reinforce our beliefs as truths and to insure that we are always right.

Interlaced with his theory of belief, Dr. Shermer provides countless real-world examples of belief from all realms of life, and in the end he demonstrates why science is the best tool ever devised to determine whether or not a belief matches reality..."

Well, "Do you believe?" is the hard question to respond to...I think that we all have our own In this, his magnum opus, one of the world’s best known skeptics and critical thinkers Dr. Michael Shermer—founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and perennial monthly columnist (“Skeptic”) for Scientific American—presents his comprehensive theory on how beliefs are born, formed, nourished, reinforced, challenged, changed, and extinguished. This book synthesizes Dr. Shermer’s 30 years of research to answer the questions of how and why we believe what we do in all aspects of our lives, from our suspicions and superstitions to our politics, economics, and social beliefs. In this book Dr. Shermer is interested in more than just why people believe weird things, or why people believe this or that claim, but in why people believe anything at all. His thesis is straightforward..."

Kind regards,

Marc
Sep 9, 2012 7:49 AM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Marc,

I finished the book over the weekend, and it's an incredible read. I had already finished a few Psychology books this year. This one culminates other information and clarifies it.

The hot days didn't last...the weather here is dismal...but it's set to change now Spring is on our doorstep.

I hope all is well with you.

A.
Sep 27, 2012 12:32 PM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Marc2010
Marc2010Marc2010Paris, Ile-de-France France16 Threads 75 Posts
Reading this article about the new Australian plan to kill the white sharks. Hope they will not kill all the sharks as the French want to do in la Réunion, Indian Ocean...

"...Great White Sharks Off Australia's Indian Ocean Coastline To Be Hunted And Killed By Authorities...

CANBERRA, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Authorities will hunt and kill great white sharks which pose a threat to swimmers along Australia's western Indian Ocean coastline under a new plan to protect beachgoers after five deadly attacks in the past year.

Great white sharks have been a protected species in Australian waters for more than a decade, but the latest spate of great white attacks at Western Australian beaches have prompted the government to allow pre-emptive hunts.

"We will always put the lives and safety of beachgoers ahead of the shark," Western Australian state Premier Colin Barnett told reporters.

"This is, after all, a fish - let's keep it in perspective."

Barnett said the his state had recorded only 12 shark fatalities over the past 100 years, but five of those deaths happened over the past year.

The plan will allow authorities to catch and kill a shark if it is found close to beachgoers. Sharks could previously only be hunted if there had already been an attack on a swimmer.

The government will also buy more jet skis for surf lifesavers, and fund more helicopter patrols of beaches.

More than 100 species of shark are found in Australian waters but most are not aggressive. The white, tiger and bull sharks are considered the most dangerous, although they tend to live in waters away from popular beaches.

White sharks prefer the colder and temperate waters of Australia's south, while tiger and bull sharks are more common in northern tropical waters.

French authorities last month authorised a cull of around 20 sharks off its Indian Ocean island of Reunion after a series of attacks in the surfing hotspot..."

Sep 27, 2012 10:29 PM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Marc2010: Reading this article about the new Australian plan to kill the white sharks. Hope they will not kill all the sharks as the French want to do in la Réunion, Indian Ocean...

"...Great White Sharks Off Australia's Indian Ocean Coastline To Be Hunted And Killed By Authorities...

CANBERRA, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Authorities will hunt and kill great white sharks which pose a threat to swimmers along Australia's western Indian Ocean coastline under a new plan to protect beachgoers after five deadly attacks in the past year.

Great white sharks have been a protected species in Australian waters for more than a decade, but the latest spate of great white attacks at Western Australian beaches have prompted the government to allow pre-emptive hunts.

"We will always put the lives and safety of beachgoers ahead of the shark," Western Australian state Premier Colin Barnett told reporters.

"This is, after all, a fish - let's keep it in perspective."

Barnett said the his state had recorded only 12 shark fatalities over the past 100 years, but five of those deaths happened over the past year.

The plan will allow authorities to catch and kill a shark if it is found close to beachgoers. Sharks could previously only be hunted if there had already been an attack on a swimmer.

The government will also buy more jet skis for surf lifesavers, and fund more helicopter patrols of beaches.

More than 100 species of shark are found in Australian waters but most are not aggressive. The white, tiger and bull sharks are considered the most dangerous, although they tend to live in waters away from popular beaches.

White sharks prefer the colder and temperate waters of Australia's south, while tiger and bull sharks are more common in northern tropical waters.

French authorities last month authorised a cull of around 20 sharks off its Indian Ocean island of Reunion after a series of attacks in the surfing hotspot..."



"Man" is so humble. We believe that as the superior species on the planet we should be able to do as we wish. Sharks need food too, so naturally they take advantage of the smorgasboard on offer.

I hope what they are saying here is that they intend to cull sharks that may present problems , that is they have a continued pattern of going into where swimmers are. I can understand them targeting a shark who has caused ongoing concerns.

Perhaps Marc, we have limited information here and that's what they are doing. I would hate to see a species threatened because of our own fears.

Asides from your article, I have started on my next two books--
1. Mating in Captivity, by Esther Perel
2. Black Garden, by Thomas de Waal
Sep 28, 2012 2:23 AM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Lookin4missright
Lookin4missrightLookin4missrightmelbourne, Victoria Australia400 Threads 24,032 Posts
Still reading picture magazine blushing
Sep 28, 2012 2:24 AM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Lookin4missright
Lookin4missrightLookin4missrightmelbourne, Victoria Australia400 Threads 24,032 Posts
love "home Girls" thumbs up
Sep 28, 2012 3:26 AM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Newlife08
Newlife08Newlife08On the coast, Queensland Australia165 Threads 2,715 Posts
Need some light reading at the moment so have picked up "Farewell My Ovaries" by Wendy Harmer. Probably needs no explanation?

Hilarious tale of women and menopause. hug help

Sep 28, 2012 3:30 AM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Newlife08
Newlife08Newlife08On the coast, Queensland Australia165 Threads 2,715 Posts

Ooops - how rude, hi Marc wave

Good to see you on our aussie forums thumbs up

Comment ca va?
Sep 28, 2012 6:38 AM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Marc2010
Marc2010Marc2010Paris, Ile-de-France France16 Threads 75 Posts
Newlife08: Ooops - how rude, hi Marc

Good to see you on our aussie forums

Comment ca va?


Hi Newlife. I am fine. ("Je vais bien"). Thanks. wine

Abagail: Sharks need food too, so naturally they take advantage of the smorgasboard on offer.


How do we recognize that a shark is a good or a bad one for us? Just wondering...
Sep 28, 2012 8:05 AM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
Marc2010: Hi Newlife. I am fine. ("Je vais bien"). Thanks.
How do we recognize that a shark is a good or a bad one for us? Just wondering...



Anthropomorphism is something other people do, not me. I do not believe we can accredit a shark with 'good' or 'bad' characteristics.They are doing what they naturally do. However, their habits concern some people... so I can see why the subsequent cull. Is it right or wrong? I was never put in the position to decide and I truly do not have enough information to base an evaluation on the situation.
Sep 29, 2012 3:53 AM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
wash2u
wash2uwash2uMelbourne, Victoria Australia79 Threads 1 Polls 3,768 Posts
Abagail: Wash, you have me terribly curious ... I would like to know what you think of the culling of these sharks?

I did a quick scan of books titled, " Lost" ... I couldn't find anything... and truly didn't know where to start. What was the book about?


Lost relates to an aging UK police detective who has an Indian aspiring offsider who was a great runner, until she had her back damaged in the first book (forget the title). As I read a lot of books, I do sometimes have a problem recalling the title or author. After reading Lost and getting halway through it, I did realise that I had read a later book by the same auther.

And back to sharks. They are just a feding machine, brain is only aimed at getting food. Net result is that they are at the top of their food chain. Net result is that they are heavily loaded with Mercury.
Sep 29, 2012 8:06 PM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
wash2u: Lost relates to an aging UK police detective who has an Indian aspiring offsider who was a great runner, until she had her back damaged in the first book (forget the title). As I read a lot of books, I do sometimes have a problem recalling the title or author. After reading Lost and getting halway through it, I did realise that I had read a later book by the same auther.

And back to sharks. They are just a feding machine, brain is only aimed at getting food. Net result is that they are at the top of their food chain. Net result is that they are heavily loaded with Mercury.


So it's a fiction book? For entertainment... I read The Third Policeman for entertainment, but what an incredibly well written book. It was recommended to me because I like Oscar Wilde's work.

Interesting you use the word 'net' so much? To capture, to control... I believe they are only doing what they inherently 'know' ... So the question is, does the government have the right to cull them based on their natural inclination?
Sep 29, 2012 8:15 PM CST What book or newspaper are you reading? What's the story?
curly28
curly28curly28Perth, Western Australia Australia53 Threads 5,450 Posts
The book I am reading at the moment ( The caller by Alex Barclay) I cannot get into it boring read , so I am taking myself off to book store today to find some more suitable reading material.
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