I read the final book in the "Sword of Truth" series by Terry Goodkind about a month ago (read it almost non-stop) I am currently on the second book in the "Otherland" series. Not sure what I will read next, except that I am waiting on I think the 5th or 6th book in the "Land of Ice & Fire" series.

I'm reading a lot of non-fiction at the moment. Mostly old stuff like Sartre, Arendt, Bauman. Largely because I am working on a paper and hope it gets published by next year.

I do plan on reading the Kite Runner in the new year, though.

Sad to hear that reading is on the decline...

Guiliani's Opus 119-125 Gran Potpurri's for guitar.

Reread all my Bach..... ;)

And ofcourse great site's like C&L :)

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_anthony__071224_blind_partisansh...

"Secondly, the ignorance about Ron Paul was staggering. Some managed some media driven propaganda blurbs about how Paul wants to do away with everything under the sun. Others called him a racist because he correctly makes the argument that the civil rights act gave too much power to the federal government at the cost of states rights, which is at the core of his beliefs. Others attacked him as anti-woman, I am assuming because he is pro-life. Considering he is a doctor who has delivered thousands of babies, is that position really that surprising? Those that could not find a platform from which to launch an attack simply questioned Dr. Paul’s sanity. The last bastion of the ignorant is to blindly lash out at the mental stability of those they could not compete with intellectually. They wrote revisionist history then, claiming he seemed confused on Meet the Press where he successfully defended himself against the vicious attacks of Tim Russert. They attacked and dismissed his followers despite the fact that Paul consistently out-performs the other GOP candidates in every debate and in fundraising. The ignorance was now at full force."

I am currently reading a biography of Bobby Kennedy. It's very enlightening. At one time in this country, politicians did what was right, not just politically advantageous.

Blue Shield loses another
case in which they try to rip off their customers. But for how long?

Jer3saw @ 8:

I am currently reading a biography of Bobby Kennedy. It's very enlightening. At one time in this country, politicians did what was right, not just politically advantageous.

Some still do.

I'm planning on reading some sci-fi, my normal fare is dystopian novels (hence the name).

I'm going to look into Philip K. Dick, William Gibson et al. Never had the chance to read these!

1. What are C&L readers (oh there’s that word again) reading these days, or planning to read in the coming year?

That's easy -- the InterNets.

2. Do Spiderman Trivia Pringles Potato Chips count?

Probably not -- counting requires cognitive skills few Potato Chips possess.

Next question?

To learn how to communicate in the new literacy, I read. C&L provides an example of using near-free TV broadcasting technology. Combined with low-cost video cameras, creativity and social networks, advancing technologies and prices dropping towards zero allow people to document and share stories with an audience they can interact with.

I probably waste less time reading large volumes hoping to sort out nuggets of value, on account of advancing search technologies.

The World is Flat
Free to Choose
Capitalism and Freedom
China the Balance Sheet
Adam Smith in Beijing

I just finished "Drama City" by George Pelacanos. If you like "The Wire" on HBO, you'll like this.

I'm now reading "Twenty Thousand Roads", the biography of Gram Parsons, by David Meyer and "The Long Embrace" by Judith Freeman, a biography of Raymond Chandler that's centered around his many different addresses here in Los Angeles.

Now that I think about it, both are about artists who did much of their best work here in LA.

Broken Government by John Dean. His other books are excellent.

Bob Shrum's book on his experiences with campaigns. Interested in finding out what he learned from working with candidates who lost as well as those who won their races.

1) I'll be reading about Democratic leadership actually leading by restoring oversight in govt. (it's a reading wish list).

2) YES! They count double. They're food and reading.

(Bonus question from the chip): Aunt May?

Is this report counting internet webpages or text messages that are being read? Or are they merely counting library books?

I'm smack dab in the middles of USA by John Dos Passos, in 1919. The trilogy is much much more than I expected, and a joy to read. It is very relevant for today. Too bad Dos Passos became a rightwinger in the end though...I think he was disgusted with Stalin.

Cracking the Code by Thom Hartmann
Takeover by Charlie Savage
The Fall of the House of Bush by Craig Unger
Cows of our Planet by Gary Larsen
anything by John Dean

something instead :-)

Conscience of a Liberal by Paul Krugman

The Sixties: Years of Hope & Days of Rage by Todd Gittlin

Phoenix Justice @ 2:

I read the final book in the "Sword of Truth" series by Terry Goodkind about a month ago (read it almost non-stop) I am currently on the second book in the "Otherland" series. Not sure what I will read next, except that I am waiting on I think the 5th or 6th book in the "Land of Ice & Fire" series.

I read the whole Otherland series and loved it. BTW: I think it's the second book that leaves you absolutely desperate to get the third book. As soon as I finished the last page I drove to B&N to pick up the next one.

Right now I amd reading "The Examined Life," which is a compilation of wirtings of famous philosophers "from Plato to Kant," with introductions and commentary by several comtemporary scholars. It is very interesting, but quite dense, if you know what I mean. I am making very slow progress. Next I think I will lighten the mood with "The Congressman Who Loved Flaubert," and I think Stephen J. Gould is on my radar. I'm also planning to pick up the new Paul Krugman book with my newly-opened B&N gift card.

I LOVE the Spiderman trivia on my Pringles. I don't know what took so long for marketing messages to reach my food.

I am a voracious reader and love sci-fi (the hard sci stuff) but will read fantasy too. I read by author - if I find one I like I read everything they have written. Read all of Asimov, Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, Larry Niven, Paol Anderson, Roger Zelasny, Harlen Ellison and the other old timers.

Presently reading The Integral Trees by Larry Niven (read it before but reading again)
Just finished Lord Valentine's Castle and Valentine Pontifex by Robert Silverberg.

Non-fiction:
Enjoyed Armed Madhouse by Greg Pallast (it's not an easy read as he has so much information in there)
Also enjoyed Worse than Watergate by John Dean
On deck Screwed by Thom Hartmann and Crashing the Gate by Jerome Armstrong and Markos Moulitsas

I can't wait until David Sirota's new book comes out

There's another book, old in comparison to many books mentioned tonight. More than one movie has been made based on it, this particular movie is titled "zaRDoz" -

http://tbsn.thesequencers.us/?p=30

? and then there are those with very strong opinions (as usual) who don’t read…enough! for those of you who take this personally…….thank you.

You're welcome. :-)

I'm right in the middle of "No Country For Old Men", by C. McCarthy.

Also got "god Is Not Great", by Hitchens and Colbert's book as xmas gifts.

I am fascinated reading comments left on YouTube videos. Profane, racist, ridiculous, poetic, intellectual, idiotic...it all runs together like a collective stream of consciousness.

Anyone who is surprised that reading is on the decline hasn't been paying attention.

One I forgot since I'm reading it online: Pepy's Diary. Diary kept every day for almost 10 years starting in 1660. The website posts one diary entry per day and is currently at December 25th 1664. Next year will have plague and then London fire.

The World Without Us by Alan Weisman.

Yes, they count. What else would a person do with a Pringle? I can think of no better use.

Another great read: The New Hacker's Dictionary (or alternatively titled, the online jargon file) -

http://www.jargon.net/jargonfile/

From Maps to Metaphors: The Pacific World of George Vancouver by Robin Fisher, Hugh Johnston, and Vancouver Conference on Exploration and Discovery (Hardcover - Dec 1993)

The Life of Captain James Cook by J. Beaglehole (Paperback - April 1, 1992)

The Seminar of Jacques Lacan: Book XVII: The Other Side of Psychoanalysis (Seminar of Jacques Lacan) by Jacques Lacan and Russell Grigg (Paperback - Dec 31, 2007)

I've got some spy mysteries laying about that will require my attention, as well.

Politics on the webs mostly by far - Linux stuff that doesn't make my head hurt, and bizarre, funny stuff to strike some sort of balance. I'm a geezer, into my 60's and it saddens me deeply at how the corrosive effects of corruption have eaten away at the once proud structure that used to be out federal government. More saddenigly still is the prospect of what it will take, finally, to reclaim and refurbish that once justifiably proud structure. I foresee blood being shed on our homeland - by and among the native-born citizens - against each other. In my less-than: professional/degreed/certified/well-connected-insider point of view as a regular schmuck, I really think (although I hope not) there will soon come a time when the citizenry of the US will take up arms against an oppressive government much like what happened at the birth of this nation. And the first guy to [properly] catch a slug betwixt his orbs will be one mindlessly ranting to the oncoming rush of freedom-lovers, "You're Anti-American!" Now then... Where's that link to Calvin & Hobbes?

I really think (although I hope not) there will soon come a time when the citizenry of the US will take up arms against an oppressive government much like what happened at the birth of this nation.

I think the limit of oppression from a government one considers one's own exceeds those from absentee governments. As an idealist during Reagan, I though no populace could put up with his antics, yet our society is very malleable, easily frightened into gullability, and spoiled. Those who hold their comfort first would prevail: you needn't worry, Jim.

Alice Seybold's The Almost Moon

I've had a tough year so I chose books that would not be to deep and have an edge of comedy. I always make sure that I have something to read during the holidays.

"Plato and a Platypus walk into a bar" Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes - Thomas Cathcart & Daniel Klein

"Shakespeare" The World as Stage - Bill Bryson

"The Late Bloomers Revolution" - Amy Cohen

Finished this year and highly recommended:
1984 by George Orwell
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
Ghosts of Chance by William Burroughs
Journey to Ixtlan: Lessons of Don Juan by Carlos Castaneda
Spaceland by Rudy Rucker
Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk
The Te of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff

Currently:
Born Again by Kelly Kerney(so far, so very good)

Shorts on hand:365 Tao by Deng Ming-Dao
Candide, Zadig and Selected Stories by Voltaire
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
The Seventh Octave(the early writings of) Saul Williams (poems, but check out his music too; incredible)
Welcome to the Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut

Online:
Crooks and Liars
Straight Dope message board

Hiphop like this is literature for the ears:
Aesop Rock
Atmosphere
Blue Scholars
Blueprint
Busdriver
Dose-one
Illogic
Immortal Technique
Pharoahe Monch
Roots Manuva
Sage Francis
Saul Williams
---Even if you have never listened to hip-hop in your life, I seriously encourage you to look some of these guys up, they just might change the way you look at the art.

I got a copy of the "Complete works of Leon Tolstoy" for Xmas. Now I'm lookin' fer a Russian-English dictionary.

i read spiderman pringles trivia EXCLUSIVELY!!

Talcott @ 6:

"Others attacked him as anti-woman, I am assuming because he is pro-life. Considering he is a doctor who has delivered thousands of babies, is that position really that surprising? "

I don't follow this.
So, because he loves babies, he loves women?
I personally don't give a rats ass what he thinks about women. What happens to my body is up to me. Sorry, Mr. Paul.

Broken Promises, Broken Dreams: Stories of Jewish & Palestinian Trauma & Resilience by Alice Rothchild

Most everyone here is quite inspiring!
now...Your Brain On Music-Daniel Levitin
next...Musicophelia - Oliver Sachs

Why couldn't Pringles print the complete works of Tolstoy?

I read this interesting (see below), at the interenet:

Judicial Watch Announces List of Washington's ''10 Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians'' for 2007
Posted: 2007/12/26
From: Mathaba

Judicial Watch: Promoting Integrity, Transparency and Accountability in Government, Politics and the Law. Note that current presidential candidates Obama, Clinton and Giuliani are all on the top 10 most corrupt politicians list

Washington, DC –Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released its 2007 list of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians.” The list, in alphabetical order, includes:

1. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY): In addition to her long and sordid ethics record, Senator Hillary Clinton took a lot of heat in 2007 – and rightly so – for blocking the release her official White House records. Many suspect these records contain a treasure trove of information related to her role in a number of serious Clinton-era scandals. Moreover, in March 2007, Judicial Watch filed an ethics complaint against Senator Clinton for filing false financial disclosure forms with the U.S. Senate (again). And Hillary’s top campaign contributor, Norman Hsu, was exposed as a felon and a fugitive from justice in 2007. Hsu pleaded guilt to one count of grand theft for defrauding investors as part of a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme.

2. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI): Conyers reportedly repeatedly violated the law and House ethics rules, forcing his staff to serve as his personal servants, babysitters, valets and campaign workers while on the government payroll. While the House Ethics Committee investigated these allegations in 2006, and substantiated a number of the accusations against Conyers, the committee blamed the staff and required additional administrative record-keeping and employee training. Judicial Watch obtained documentation in 2007 from a former Conyers staffer that sheds new light on the activities and conduct on the part of the Michigan congressman, which appear to be at a minimum inappropriate and likely unlawful. Judicial Watch called on the Attorney General in 2007 to investigate the matter.

3. Senator Larry Craig (R-ID): In one of the most shocking scandals of 2007, Senator Craig was caught by police attempting to solicit sex in a Minneapolis International Airport men’s bathroom during the summer. Senator Craig reportedly “sent signals” to a police officer in an adjacent stall that he wanted to engage in sexual activity. When the police officer showed Craig his police identification under the bathroom stall divider and pointed toward the exit, the senator reportedly exclaimed 'No!'” When asked to produce identification, Craig presented police his U.S. Senate business card and said, “What do you think of that?” The power play didn’t work. Craig was arrested, charged and entered a guilty plea. Despite enormous pressure from his Republican colleagues to resign from the Senate, Craig refused.

4. Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA): As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee's subcommittee on military construction, Feinstein reviewed military construction government contracts, some of which were ultimately awarded to URS Corporation and Perini, companies then owned by Feinstein's husband, Richard Blum. While the Pentagon ultimately awards military contracts, there is a reason for the review process. The Senate's subcommittee on Military Construction's approval carries weight. Sen. Feinstein, therefore, likely had influence over the decision making process. Senator Feinstein also attempted to undermine ethics reform in 2007, arguing in favor of a perk that allows members of Congress to book multiple airline flights and then cancel them without financial penalty. Judicial Watch’s investigation into this matter is ongoing.

5. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R-NY): Giuliani came under fire in late 2007 after it was discovered the former New York mayor’s office “billed obscure city agencies for tens of thousands of dollars in security expenses amassed during the time when he was beginning an extramarital relationship with future wife Judith Nathan in the Hamptons…” ABC News also reported that Giuliani provided Nathan with a police vehicle and a city driver at taxpayer expense. All of this news came on the heels of the federal indictment on corruption charges of Giuliani’s former Police Chief and business partner Bernard Kerik, who pleaded guilty in 2006 to accepting a $165,000 bribe in the form of renovations to his Bronx apartment from a construction company attempting to land city contracts.

6. Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR): Governor Huckabee enjoyed a meteoric rise in the polls in December 2007, which prompted a more thorough review of his ethics record. According to The Associated Press: “[Huckabee’s] career has also been colored by 14 ethics complaints and a volley of questions about his integrity, ranging from his management of campaign cash to his use of a nonprofit organization to subsidize his income to his destruction of state computer files on his way out of the governor’s office.” And what was Governor Huckabee’s response to these ethics allegations? Rather than cooperating with investigators, Huckabee sued the state ethics commission twice and attempted to shut the ethics process down.

7. I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby: Libby, former Chief of Staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $250,000 for lying and obstructing the Valerie Plame CIA leak investigation. Libby was found guilty of four felonies -- two counts of perjury, one count of making false statements to the FBI and one count of obstructing justice – all serious crimes. Unfortunately, Libby was largely let off the hook. In an appalling lack of judgment, President Bush issued “Executive Clemency” to Libby and commuted the sentence.

8. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL): A “Dishonorable Mention” last year, Senator Obama moves onto the “ten most wanted” list in 2007. In 2006, it was discovered that Obama was involved in a suspicious real estate deal with an indicted political fundraiser, Antoin “Tony” Rezko. In 2007, more reports surfaced of deeper and suspicious business and political connections It was reported that just two months after he joined the Senate, Obama purchased $50,000 worth of stock in speculative companies whose major investors were his biggest campaign contributors. One of the companies was a biotech concern that benefited from legislation Obama pushed just two weeks after the senator purchased $5,000 of the company’s shares. Obama was also nabbed conducting campaign business in his Senate office, a violation of federal law.

9. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who promised a new era of ethics enforcement in the House of Representatives, snuck a $25 million gift to her husband, Paul Pelosi, in a $15 billion Water Resources Development Act recently passed by Congress. The pet project involved renovating ports in Speaker Pelosi's home base of San Francisco. Pelosi just happens to own apartment buildings near the areas targeted for improvement, and will almost certainly experience a significant boost in property value as a result of Pelosi's earmark. Earlier in the year, Pelosi found herself in hot water for demanding access to a luxury Air Force jet to ferry the Speaker and her entourage back and forth from San Francisco non-stop, in unprecedented request which was wisely rejected by the Pentagon. And under Pelosi’s leadership, the House ethics process remains essentially shut down – which protects members in both parties from accountability.

10. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV): Over the last few years, Reid has been embroiled in a series of scandals that cast serious doubt on his credibility as a self-professed champion of government ethics, and 2007 was no different. According to The Los Angeles Times, over the last four years, Reid has used his influence in Washington to help a developer, Havey Whittemore, clear obstacles for a profitable real estate deal. As the project advanced, the Times reported, “Reid received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Whittemore.” Whittemore also hired one of Reid’s sons (Leif) as his personal lawyer and then promptly handed the junior Reid the responsibility of negotiating the real estate deal with federal officials. Leif Reid even called his father’s office to talk about how to obtain the proper EPA permits, a clear conflict of interest.

Judicial Watch is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Judicial Watch neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office. For more information, visit www.judicialwatch.org.

The last few books I read:

The Planet Of the Apes - Pierre Boulle (yeah, the same guy who wrote The Bridge Over The River Kwai wrote Planet Of The Apes... who knew?)

A Choir Of Ill Children - Tom Piccirilli
A Canticle For Leibowitz - Walter Miller, Jr.
The Island Of The Sequined Love Nun - Christopher Moore
City - Clifford Simak
The Complete Tales Of The Unexpected - Roald Dahl

All I received for Christmas this year from friends and family were books. And one pair of lousy pants from my Dad. My wife gave me a beautiful leather-bound edition of Helter-Skelter signed by the author and attorney Vincent Bugliosi. I still think this was the scariest book I have ever read.

A DON'T MISS for any progressive is Naomi Klein's "The Shock Doctrine-The Rise of Disaster Capitalism". It chronicles the implementation of the neo-con economic doctrines of the Chicago School (i.e. Milton Friedman) not only all over the globe, such as Chile, Argentina, Russia, etc., but also New Orleans and anywhere they can get away with it. There IS Method to their Madness.

Daily Reading pt 1...

"For decades, Chicago-area astronomers have fought a losing battle against expanding light pollution from street lamps, stadium lights and floodlit car lots. Lately, though, they have been finding new allies, and a fast-growing dark sky movement is redefining what was once regarded as a mere nuisance as a serious environmental issue."
- http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-dark_skydec26,0,2784822.sto...

Conserving Cuba Environmentally, After the Embargo - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/25/science/25cuba.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&...

Foreign buyers snap up 2nd homes in US - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071224/ap_on_bi_ge/real_estate_foreign_buyers;_ylt=AuGvHOjn5zCg4wV1hRPhQSus0NUE

Will the Washington Post Cease to Exist as a Newspaper? - http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/editorblog/023

Death by Profit Margin: Let's start with a fundamental truth: Insurance companies are in the business of not paying claims. - http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/71502/
This is not an isolated incident. The next one could be you or someone you love...

As Wall Street bleeds from mortgage crisis, bonuses this year spike 14% - http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07355/843567-84.stm
Meanwhile...those of us 'not deemed by God' to be worthy or 'don't work hard enough' will get nothing or up to 3% which is less than standard of living in 85% of the continental US....

Confirmed Yet Again: Saudis biggest group of al Qaeda Iraq fighters - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/23/AR200712...
But that country gets a free pass, because the GOP/Republicans/Big Oil are married to them...as long as the oil flows...hypocrites of the highest order...

Australia dumps national ID card - http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071224-australias-controversial-n...
Opponents of Australia's controversial Access Card received an early Christmas present earlier this month when the incoming Rudd Labor Government finally axed the controversial ID program.

Medical Credit Reports: A New Way to Deny Health Care? - http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/121207dnbushealt...
Your life usually isn’t at stake when a credit report turns up something negative, but in this case it very well might be. The Dallas Morning News reports: "Mortgage lenders aren’t the only ones showing more interest in your credit score these days – the health industry is creating its own score to judge your ability to pay. ...The score is already raising questions from consumer advocacy groups that fear it will be checked before patients are treated."

I just finished The Diamond Age, by Neal Stephenson, and really enjoyed it. I'm in the middle of T.E. Lawrence's autobiographical Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and that's an interesting read (though it can be a little difficult to follow).

I read the Shock Doctrine a little while ago. Amazing book-- though it's frustrating to read after Milton Friedman's death. If I'd been able to read it a few years ago, I could at least have retained the hope that someone might toss him out of an airplane someday. Such a horrible, malicious philosophy he helped to sell.

Jer3saw @ 8:

I am currently reading a biography of Bobby Kennedy. It's very enlightening. At one time in this country, politicians did what was right, not just politically advantageous.

What if me made it the law that upon election to the Presidency, the person and his/her spouse had to donate everything they owned (except personal possessions) to charity and were barred from accepting any form of compensation or gifts over a certain value for life?

We can pay them a generous pension, so why would they need to go out collecting millions for giving speeches after they leave office?

We could call it the "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Act."

If it were the law right now, I bet Edwards would still be running, but not Romney.

Dawkins - The God Delusion

Don't eat 'em, let alone buy 'em or read 'em.

Cat Atomic @ 88:

I just finished The Diamond Age, by Neal Stephenson, and really enjoyed it. I'm in the middle of T.E. Lawrence's autobiographical Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and that's an interesting read (though it can be a little difficult to follow).

I read the Shock Doctrine a little while ago. Amazing book-- though it's frustrating to read after Milton Friedman's death. If I'd been able to read it a few years ago, I could at least have retained the hope that someone might toss him out of an airplane someday. Such a horrible, malicious philosophy he helped to sell.

That's the Gordon Gekko philosophy, right? "Greed is Good?"

If greed is good, why is it one of the seven deadly sins?

- renewing my subscriptions to The Economist and Harper's; looking forward to the second volume of Lapham's Quarterly
- The World Without Us by Alan Weisman, and Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko, which I received as Christmas gifts
- my nightmarish MC/Visa statements

The following should take care of my year. . .

Novels
Waiting by Ha Jin
War and Peace (most recent translation and too heavy for a reclining position) Pevear and Volokhonsky
Oil Upton Sinclair
The Shadow-line (novella) Joseph Conrad

Science& Math
Musicophilia Oliver Sacks
Innumeracy John Allen Paulos

Political
Fiasco ( a1/3 through) Thomas Ricks
Black Hawk Down Mark Bowden
The Making of a Quagmire David Halberstam

Taking some time out to figure how the Federal Reserve System works in the American economy one can see how American culture has been manipulated for almost a century. If ever there was a time when a person feels swindled, it is after this understanding is presented in a clear picture. Especially, in the relation of the banking, and education system that did not fail the electorate, but, those in the know deliberately kept the system under the radar, the Federal Reserve, argued to be the advantage of the free market. In reality known as the insider money trick for being a basic tool of the rich.

Another thought provoking reality slowly developing in America where our political parties are morphing into a collection groups. Here, existence of the party as left, right, Conservative, or Liberal, are turning into just groups of people that are either informed, those that are not informed, those that have been suppressed, those that understand the truth in terms of the Constitution and those that hold firm believes in a lie that can not think any other way.

When Middle America understands that in the banking system, the Federal Reserve simply writes a check out of thin air and the American Treasury prints the hard cash paper, or borrows it from China which America owes billions approaching trillions, to disperse it, the only thing one could say at first is wow. The real kicker is that all of the interest earned on Federal Reserve actions funnel to the stock holders that are the owner of the Federal Reserve Corporation. America did you get that? The American tax payer do not receive any of the interest. Here, for decades the rich have been taking cool tax dollars Middle America really, legally should have.

The Constitution says Congress has the authority to print and control the money and the value. Plainly stated in the Constitution, then the Federal Reserve should not exist. Imagine a system in place that has been illegal for almost a century. Mainstream Media knows this and worse uses another part of the public domain system. The Electromagnetic spectrum that is totally abuse and corrupted. All manipulated by the first line Journalist like morning Joe, Chris Mathews, Willie Poltergeist, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Fox news, all media across the board journalist are contracted in IMUS ways to create controversy covered by the freedom shield.

These television Journalist only care about the six figure pay checks, bonus and perks they get. What really is disgusting is the producers, managers and owners of these corporate giants; they have abuse a social structure to the point America does not have to worry about al Qaeda following us home. America’s basic street problems are crumbling, we kill and injure each other at increasing rates, and predators are any were from Congressional perverts to professionals in mortgage brokers and Wall Street to pedophiles on Main Street. Whats crazy is those newsier people have a bent to bury everything in time about the professional. Ironically every one of these high level crooks and liars are college educated.

been reading Tolstoy, Deleuze & Guattari, Murakami, back to Agatha Christie... I also read the TIMES online (I can afford real toilet tissue) every day because of the importance of reading the mouthpiece of Today's Orthodoxy. I'm afraid I'm not very interesting in my reading compared to a lot of you guys.

Just got "Fair Game" by Valerie Plame Wilson for Christmas. There's a lot of stuff redacted, but it's an interesting read. Also, one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read is "The Worst Hard Time" by Timothy Egan. Lately, for pass-the-time non fiction stuff, I've gotten into Michael Connely detective novels to take a break between non-fiction.

Fiction: "Devils" by F. Dostoevsky, "Brothers Karamazov" by F. Dostoevsky, "The Glembays" by M. Krleza.
Non-fiction: "Blake" by P. Ackroyd, "The Sane Society" by E. Fromm, "Collapse" by J. Diamond.

Those are the books I'm currently reading. I got bookshelves full of books waiting to be read and I keep ordering more. I've already planned a two-week retreat to a cabin in the Black Forest (Germany; I live in Belgium) to enjoy nature and concentrate on reading and working on my novel.

It is really sad that fewer and fewer people take the time to sit down and read a book and instead collapse in front of the television and stare at the shiny pictures. I'm not saying TV is bad per sé, but the current TV landscape is dangerous in that it's dumbing everyone down and keeps everyone occupied with being idle, clueless and thoughtless.

Another loss I greatly lament is the art of writing letters. In these times of quick e-mail messages and abbreviated languages, writing letters is almost extinct. I am convinced that this simple act greatly contributes to one's intelligence, cultural understanding and growth as a human being. Most people who occasionally write non-business letters will agree with me. It feels liberating and clean, elevated high above the cultural ruins of our daily life. I exchange letters with people from all around the world, from the USA to Russia and from Mongolia to South Africa. It's a lost art that I want to keep alive and even invigorate. Unfortunately I do not have much hope that I will succeed.

Currently I am reading other than the daily dose of crooks and liars and raw story, Dead Certain (although my comment on this book is Robert Draper seems to like GW and I don't) Terror Presidency, but Jack Goldsmith misses the big point about the reasons there were laws enacted to tie the hands of the so called security folks, the One Percent Doctrine (haven't started it yet), Loving Frank, and interesting novel about Frank Lloyd Wright, Blind your Ponies, if you love Montana and/or are from Montana you will love these novels, Takeover, the return of the Imperial Presidency, what a rich book this is and so well written, The Breads of France, Ahh a great bread bakers book, I love it, and I am re-reading US Energy Imperatives for the 1990's to research what we've missed and where we need to go, and the best book I read all year, Fire and Brimstone the North Butte Mining Disaster of 1917, yes I am from Montana, Butte to be exact and I do read books about Montana History but this book is excellent, so well written and yes I had relatives who died in this fire, I also read Patti Boyd's book Wonderful Tonight and thoroughly enjoyed her book.

I never did get into fiction that much. There was a time when I went on "subject binges", where I'd read whatever interested me in sociology section for a few months, then history section for a few months, then political section for a few months, etc.

However, for the past few years, I've just been buying and reading math texts on statistical modeling, Fourier transforms, signal processing, etc. I've always been good at math, until I hit calculus in senior year of high school. Now 10-15 years later, I can understand this stuff. Better late than never, I guess. :-/

I am an avid Noam Chomsky reader. Why? Because every fact he states, his opponents attack him, and not what he writes/lectures. THAT in itself says everything he says/writes is true.

Holiday Spending Is Weak, as Retailers Expected
By MICHAEL BARBARO
Uneasy about the economy and unimpressed by merchandise, American shoppers delivered the bleak holiday shopping season retailers had expected. Spending rose just 3.6 percent over 2006.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/business/26shop.html?th&emc=th

Clinton's Résumé Factor: Those 8 Years as First Lady By PATRICK HEALY
During her time in the White House, Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared to learn more through osmosis than through decision-making.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/us/politics/26clinton.html?th&emc=th

etock @ 86:

A DON'T MISS for any progressive is Naomi Klein's "The Shock Doctrine-The Rise of Disaster Capitalism". It chronicles the implementation of the neo-con economic doctrines of the Chicago School (i.e. Milton Friedman) not only all over the globe, such as Chile, Argentina, Russia, etc., but also New Orleans and anywhere they can get away with it. There IS Method to their Madness.

I agree fully.

Along the same lines, I want to read Naomi Wolf “The End of America: Letter of Warning To A Young Patriot”.

Anticipating the movie "There Will Be Blood" I have just finished "Oil!" by Upton Sinclair, the book upon which the movie is based. Reading today's reviews of the movie, I fear I will not recognize it from the book. Many liberties have been taken!

I'm reading some Bukowski, Vonnegut, & Palaniuk's new book. But, like music, film, & radio, since there's so much carp being published & so much more being held back or censored, I find myself returning to the classics:

"I wanted the American eagle to go screaming into the Pacific ...Why not spread its wings over the Philippines, I asked myself? ... I said to myself, Here are a people who have suffered for three centuries. We can make them as free as ourselves, give them a government and country of their own, put a miniature of the American Constitution afloat in the Pacific, start a brand new republic to take its place among the free nations of the world. It seemed to me a great task to which we had addressed ourselves. But I have thought some more, since then, and I have read carefully the treaty of Paris [which ended the Spanish-American War], and I have seen that we do not intend to free, but to subjugate the people of the Philippines. We have gone there to conquer, not to redeem. It should, it seems to me, be our pleasure and duty to make those people free, and let them deal with their own domestic questions in their own way. And so I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.[38]"

Mark Twain

Conscience of a Liberal-Krugman

Marion Meade's biographies of Dorothy Parker, Buster Keaton and woody Allen.

'Fortune' Pringles. Great idea.

Sure hope Murdoch doesn't buy the company.

Or a Huckabee Idiot Consortium.

I just received two books for Christmas and have already started into both of them:

1. New American Library's edition of four novels of Philip K. Dick.

2. Sorrow in Our Heart, a biography of Tecumseh

Looking forward to enjoying both of these.

I'm reading Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. Great book.

According to this book, this would be the best use of Pringles!

'Pleasant Drugs' by Kathryn Kulpa
before that I read 'iWoz' and something else I can't currently recall -
and this week (just about done with pleasant drugs) I will be starting 'Smells Like Dead Elephants in Here' and 'I am America (and so can you)'

but I don't consider myself a "reader"

Engineer of Human Souls - Josef Skvorecky

Updike's Rabbit Tetralogy

Alan Furst - Night Soldiers

Just finished Water for Elephants. Well written, a great story, a surprising ending.

Having not read a book in its entirety in many years it was a bit tedious at first. But I managed to move on from my days of reading Anne Rice vampire books and some Steven King books. This year I read Al Gore's "Assault on Reason", Bob Woodwards' "State of Denial" and am currently trying to get through "American Theocracy" by Kevin Phillips. I've also added "Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War" by Michael Isikoff and David Corn.

I love reading blogs but I also live three blocks from my city's awesome library. This is the first year I have read books that weren't fiction and I'm excited about it. Being only a product of public school (and a really poor one at that) and not having gone to college yet (I am 30) it's nice to be able to self-educate and the internet makes that much easier and accesible to virtually anyone.

Either way, I love C&L and have been an avid reader throughout 2007. Keep up the good work guys and for us politics geeks 2008 is an election year and it's going to get nasty. Luckily I am much more aware of what's going on now and much better prepared for it.

ConcernedCanuck @ 114:

I am an avid Noam Chomsky reader. Why? Because every fact he states, his opponents attack him, and not what he writes/lectures. THAT in itself says everything he says/writes is true.

Yeah, you're right. All the negative I've ever read about him is character assassinations, nothing else.

Why You're Wrong About The Democrats

Fred @ 85:

Currently re-reading The Plague by Albert Camus and reading Go Down, Moses by William Faulkner for the first time. I have always had some sort of problem reading Faulkner, but that block seems to be disintegrating although certain passages continue to baffle me.

Fred, it was not you. Attempting to understand Faulkner is on a par with trying to decipher a novel by Henry James, as both authors seem to take pride in writing passages which lean heavily on obfuscation and lack of clarity. Reading the first chapter of The Sound and the Fury in college was a torturous experience perhaps similar to waterboarding.

What is the What by Dave Eggers - the true story of Valentino Achak Deng, a Sudanese Lost Boy who ended up in Atlanta, wonderfully written and quite enlightening.

Assorted books of fiction by john case
"1215: The year of the Magna Carta" by Danzinger & Gillingham
"God & Empire" by John Dominic Crossan
"American Theocracy" by Kevon Phillips
"Misquoting Jesus" by Bert Ehrman