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Well, I finally got The Book, and read The Book, and danged if pretty much all my predictions (except for the biggest) were flat-out wrong. I blame JKR for being evil and inconsistent. Waaah. (No, I won't say what my predictions were -- you'll have to go back to my post last week to see them -- so fear not that you'll be reverse-spoilered if you keep reading this particular post.)
There's been an incredible amount of angst and wailing among the established Potter fandom, especially amongst those who had favorite characters who they felt got a raw deal. It seems a bit odd to talk about fictional characters getting a raw deal when actual people are starving in Darfur and being shot to death in Iraq, but nonetheless the feelings are there.
So anyway, to keep those who haven't yet read the book from being spoiled, I will just point out to those that have already read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows some links that are indicative of major fannish reaction. The links will be given letter designations: A B C D; you can say that "I think whoever wrote the piece at Link A is full of crap" but please try not to go into detail unless you know how to make the magic white font. (To make the magic white font: [font color=white]text to be rendered invisible until highlighted[/font color], except use the "<" and ">" keys instead of the "[" and "]" keys to bracket your commands.)
For the rest of you: Tell me what's shakin' where you are. Are you enjoying life this fine Saturday morning?
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EPU’d from downstairs —-
I am enjoying one of life’s very simple pleasures this morning. My son is highly allergic to strawberries and I almost never keep them in the house. But he’s with my parents for a few weeks and so I have two beautiful and tasty strawberries cut up in my cereal right now. And enjoying a quiet breakfast with some of my firepup friends online. :)
I’ll see the 3 Zeds and raise a caw caw.
PW — I loved HP 7. Knew from all I’d seen that there would be deaths, but there always are. I thought it was an excellent read.
i enjoyed book 7 an awful lot more than 6. 6 seemed to plod along and nothing really happened until the last 100 pages or so. one thing i disliked about 7, though, was how rowling developed the habit of ending chapters on some sort of surprise or climax; something she hadn’t really done in earlier books and it gave the book kind of a clichéd quality to it. definitely not the world’s best writing, but a decent story nonetheless. left me wanting more.
for those interested: a link to an msnbc interview where rowling expands upon the fate of the main characters. SPOILERS for those not finished w/ the book
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19959323/
I enjoyed the book - even had a couple of speculations proved right, as to who RAB was and what happened to the locket.
What’s fun is seeing how thoroughly Rowling snookered us. When Harry’s aunt Petunia revealed she knew about Dementors because she’d heard her sister and “that boy” talking about them, well I’m everybody thought “that boy” was Harry’s father. Nice one.
For anyone who thought the epilogue left too many unanswered questions, Rowling is finally free to talk about the whole series. Here’s a link to an interview she gave that does clear a few things up.
Oh wait a minute - I see the chap above me already posted it.
In Florida, Lou Pearlman is in prison and seems to owe people about 400 million dollars. Former manager of Backstreet Boys and N’Sync and about 20 other businesses. He was arrested in Bali and then transfered back to Orlando, Florida where he awaits trial.
xaxnar @ 9
The thing is, JKR is leaving lots of room precisely so that the fanfiction writers (the spiritual heirs to the Sherlock Holmes ‘pastiche’ tradition) can continue on.
In fact, at least one fanfic writer has found a way around one particular demise (warning: spoilers for Book Seven, of course).
I loved Book 7 as well. #6 had a lot of setup in it, but this one really wrapped the series up.
TexB @ 5
Yummy!
I’ve never read a Harry Potter book, but I did e-mail my father-in-law in Zimbabwe this morning trying to explain to him the difference between dwarves, elves and hobbits. (Apparently he just read The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time).
I’ve spent a good chunk of the morning trying to find a contractor with experience working on historic homes — to no avail sadly.
Now I’m about to put on some work boots and start on the myriad project I have on my plate today.
Nemo @ 12
I really liked Book Six because it gave Harry a bit of a break after the unrelieved horror that was Book Five. Of course, there was that little thing at the end, but hey.
Phoenix Woman @ 11
I like that one.
PW,
Every Potter thread has to have some magic in it — thanks for the “white font” spell!
Haven’t read the book yet, but it’s sitting on top of all the boxes. It’s not going to get packed, but will go in the car. It will either be some good late night reading after a long day on the road, or a treat to be savored at the end of the move.
Or both.
I did check, though, to see if the book had all its pages.
Sufilizard @ 14
Dwarves are the short folk that don’t have fur on their feet. Elves are taller and prettier. There!
yeah, that was the essence of what I told him, although I went into slightly more detail.
Alberto Gonzales and the DOJ - Spolier Alert - I predict Al has weeks, if not days…
TexB @ 16
So did I. The best thing about it: It doesn’t really contradict what happens in the book. (It depicts a period that in the timeline of the book is where the focus is on Harry, so we don’t see what Harry’s friends are doing for quite some time.)
I wanted to ask about home owners insurance, over most of the East Coast and Gulf Coast policies are being canceled, even if you have not had a claim in 20 years. Mold coverage was dropped. Earthquake coverage has been dropped in many parts of the country. And the cost keeps going up.
Sufilizard @ 14
I remember my first time . . . ;)
I’m trying to figure out when to spring The Hobbit on my almost-six year old.
OT depression buster. From my mother, who is always sending me stuff she finds to be inspirational or funny - I loved this one:
Old People are Great This will warm your heart. Just when you have lost faith in human kindness.
Someone who teaches at a middle school in Safety Harbor,Florida, forwarded the following letter. The letter was sent to the principal’s office after the school had sponsored a luncheon for the elderly. An old lady received a new radio at the lunch as a door prize and was writing to say thank you.
Dear Safety Harbor Middle School:
God bless you for the beautiful radio I won at your recent senior citizens luncheon. I am 84 years old and live at the Safety Harbor Assisted Home for the Aged. All of my family has passed away.
I am all alone now and it’s nice to know that someone is thinking of me. God bless you for your kindness to an old forgotten lady. My roommate is 95 and has always had her own radio, but before I received one, she would never let me listen to hers, even when she was napping.The other day her radio fell off the nightstand and broke into a lot of pieces. It was awful and she was in tears. She asked if she could listen to mine, and I told her to kiss my ass.
Thank you for that opportunity.
Sincerely,
Edna
Sandman @ 10
Pearlman epitomizes everything that’s wrong with the money-driven greed culture. No amount too small for him to crave…he’d steal $400-$500 from little ol’ ladies [kinda like those Enron boys crowing about ripping off little ol’ ladies in California.].
He’d steal from himself if he could figure out how.
Though shalt not covet….
Freddy’s already in trouble:
On Tuesday, Tom Collamore, a top adviser to Mr. Thompson, stepped aside. At the same time, Mr. Thompson’s political operation announced that it was bringing in Randy Enwright, a veteran Republican strategist with ties to the Bush family, and former Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, to take over the prospective campaign. The next day, the organization’s research director quit, and other staff members walked out.
Peterr @ 17
Peterr,
Are you traveling with family? If you are capable of doing so, read while not driving. Or if you are sharing driving chores, share the reading chores as well by having a built in “audio book” without tape or CD.
Just a suggestion. I know some folks don’t feel that they can read while in a car. I understand this as a life-long sufferer from motion sickness (I conquer’d cars to the point that I CAN read in them now.)
OT, seems the young republicans (that’s so hard to understand, young and republican both?) have a petition up to encourage the candidates to go to the YouTube debate. Via TPM-
http://savethedebate.com/
” …Potter advocates, disingenuously, pooh-pooh any linkage of Harry-mania to increasing popularity of Wicca and other forms of paganism. Rowling herself has stated: “I truly am bemused that anyone who has read the books could think that I am a proponent of the occult in any serious way. I don’t believe in witchcraft in the sense that they’re talking about at all.”
However, Rowling is the the product of a post-Christian, postmodern culture that believes magic, demonology, Wicca, and seances to be completely harmless, and it’s quite possible she is sincerely unaware of the inherent dangers of her writing. However, in a 2000 Guardian Weekend Magazine interview, Rowling did acknowledge that Wiccans “are constantly thanking me.”
…Fantasy it is. But from a Christian perspective, children immersing themselves in Harry Potter are being desensitized to the dangers of spiritual practices explicitly condemned and forbidden by Holy Scripture…”
LOL!!
Bwaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!
Sufilizard @ 14
Two contributions:
Go here:
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopa.....2007/07/27
skip down to the last segment to
Two: I have historic house & contractor in Hudson Valley. That helpful?
Sandman @ 22
Ask away, Mr. S. the insurance guy is right around the wall reading the morning paper….
Peterr @ 23
I started my 9-year-old on the Narnia series, but he’s seen a couple of the LOTR movies. I may give him The Hobbit soon. I find Tolkein much more interesting than C.S. Lewis. There’s so much more depth in Tolkein’s writing.
Hmmm, six years old and ready for the Hobbit? Nah, I don’t think so. Maybe at the age of ten, but not at six, I don’t think.
As for HP7 - it’s a riproaring yarn. OK, it is not perfect. And there does seem to be this fascination with who the hero of the thing really WAS - though I can’t imagine a story series where the name in the title was NOT the hero. Though perhaps we have a bunch of heroes wandering around this. That’s the position I take. People who have been struggling before become heroes here; people who have never seemed to be heroes have their moment here. I think the story is about change..the ability to make the decision to change and to actually DO it. And from that viewpoint, you have a bunch of people who make the heroic decision to change and actually do it. the character who has not changed, will not change and never will change, of course, is what’shisname…and that is why he is NOT the hero of this series. My 20 year old son, who has read the books from the beginning and shared them with me so that we could talk about them, delved into this issue bigtime because this is a topic that speaks to him on a very personal level.
HuffPo headline this morning:
“US Prepares $20 Billion Arms Deal With Saudis”
That stuff is eventually gonna be used against American soldiers.
Sufilizard @ 14
Have you checked historic home preservation societies or even teh Smithsonian re preservation of historic homes. There is a publication to that effect (sorry my references are in transit) that would likely contain information or adverts for contractors. Fine Homebuilding is also a good resource for restoration projects.
eCAHNomics @ 30
Well I’m in Northern Indiana, so I’m not sure that will help, but thanks anyway.
dakine01 @ 27
No can do. I’m driving the truck, Mrs Peterr is driving the car, and the little one will likely ride in the back seat with her. Of course, if the truck doesn’t have a passenger seat air bag, he’ll no doubt be badgering us both to ride with me for at least one day.
BobbyG @ 34
Didn’t Bush send a message yesterday or the day before warning the Saudis to stop messing in Iraq?
BobbyG @ 34
Only if Saudis give it to someone else. They don’t know how to use it or maintain it. Saudi military couldn’t fight their way out of a paper bag if their lives depended on it. The arms sales are all about supporting U.S. arms mfgrs.
Arnie @ 35
I’ve contacted my county historical society and they gave me a number at which I left a still unreturned voice mail. I’ve looked at some national sources, but my location in rural, northern Indiana means I’m not geographically convenient to most contractors and since I’m not made of money, I can’t afford to import people from out of the region.
I’ve even tried to tap into one of my area’s good resources for this kind of work, the Amish, but so far they are even reluctant to tackle this job.
BobbyG @ 29
The TheoCon view of Harry Potter is truly a sight to behold. I’ve got a brother-in-law who refuses to let his kids anywhere near JKR’s books. All that sticking up for your friends, fighting evil, holding to your promises, remembering the sacrifices made by others, putting the welfare of others before your own . . .
Yeah, dangerous stuff there. Sheesh!
Sufilizard @ 36
I got mine by word of mouth. Have been using him since 1989. Check with local historical societies. Also, I have ridden my bicycle into the driveway of almost every privately owned historic house in my area, knocked on the door & asked to see the house. Been turned down only once. It’s agreat way to get to know other people in your situation & pass tips & recommendations.
This is a very clear timeline of the Gonzo scandal from Kos:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/28/72254/3793
I can’t read this. I blurred my eyes the minute I saw the subject. Desperately trying to avoid any spoilers. Sorry PW.
eCAHNomics @ 39
Yeah, but what if the House of Saud falls to Islamic fundies? No one saw the fall of the Shah coming.
As far as inability to use advance weaponry, we now have ample evidence of the capability of our adversaries in Iraq and Afghanistan, who bedevil us with the crudest weapons this side of rocks and spears.
I’m loving life this morning.
I had planned to hit the garden early, before the heat gets well into the 90’s, but, alas, the mister turned on C-SPAN and I got hooked into a replay of the UTube debates.
Am feeling encouraged by the really deep bench of candidates we have.
Kucinich, Edwards, Biden, Richardson, all great.
Prairie Sunshine @ 31
Why is the cost going up, if the coverage is going down?
Peterr @ 37
Rental truck? With three of you, it’s probably not worth the effort and it is difficult but you can get a car trailer. That’s what I’ve had my last two moves. My friend who helped me with them has a limited ability to back trucks with a tow trailer and I have none, so we had to make sure we could always move forward when stopping for gas or at a motel. We did have the cat riding in the cab with us. He could crawl under the seat or ride next to me as his mood struck him. Human little ones are a different situation however that I have no experiences with.
Have not read it and will not be reading it.
Iglesias and Bud Cummins on Gonzales
Worth the time to watch and listen
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/
Things have certainly changed with respect to children’s reading habits. When I was a kid my favorite books were bio’s and history. And that was not unusual.
Peterr @ 41
When I lived in Knoxville, every year some asshole fundie group would make a big frigging’ stink trying to get schools to not do anything related to Halloween.
Y’see, the fundie Christian faith, far from fortifying you to withstand the travails of this life, is actually an enervating discipline which renders your utterly weak and vulnerable, especially to other ideas.
Pathetic.
For a rather different story with magic, my sister just finished reading a book I gave her: “The Sharing Knife” by Lois McMasters Bujold. (She’s currently working on HP7 and has probably finished it by now.) She really enjoyed both.
Anyway, the Bujold book is also a fantasy, though set at an adult level. Originally published as two books, the combined volume tells the story of Fawn Bluefield - a farmer girl who runs away from home after she gets ‘in trouble’ - and Dag Redwing, a Lakewalker patroller who meets her while called out to deal with a chronic magical threat to the whole wide green world. (Think of something like Voldemort on steroids popping up at random over and over again.)
Bujold is experimenting with the conventions of the genre and has fun. I enjoyed it, and am looking forward to the next volume.
Fawn and Dag come from two very different cultures with a lot of friction between them; yet they need each other. Crossing that divide puts Fawn & Dag both in trouble with their respective groups. By the end of the story, it’s clear that the two of them are going to have to deal with a much larger problem - but it’s not a question of fate or destiny; it’s the result of personal growth on the part of both of them.
Bujold models the physical world of the story on the midwest around the Great Lakes where she grew up, and the people as well. The level of technology is low; the world is recovering from a huge magical disaster centuries before. Dag’s people are still trying to clean up after a vast mistake by their ancestors that caused that collapse.
It’s definitely a novel for adults - for one thing there’s lots of sex - but I think anyone who enjoyed the Harry Potter series will enjoy this. There’s some moments of sheer terror, some real comedy, and some good insights on relationships. And if you like animals, well Dag’s horse is a character in his own right.
I’d also recommend Bujold’s Chalion series as well.
Hobbit/Trilogy mentioned above - -
My 10 y/o son worked his way thru the Hobbit last year. It was slow slogging but he did it with many questions. He is now burning thru the trilogy and totally loving it.
Is it just me or is finding reading material for 9-12 y/o boys difficult? Suggestions appreciated.
Peterr @ 41
it’s kind of funny, moses was a warlock, he parted water, turned his came into a snake, brought forth pestulance and death
Christ was a warlock, rising from the dead, walking on water
pretty amusing these people are giving these novels any kind of play
eCAHNomics, I spent tons of time in the New Paltz area. I used to ride my horse on the trails around on Mohonk and picked blueberries, as well as camping on the other side on a friend’s land for years. I loved it there.
Les Kinsolving (resident WH press corpse whack-co “reporter”) supposedly quitting. Talk about having a divided mind: I cringed every time Les came up with his “two” questions……..yet maybe he’s the only one of the lot with any cojones.
http://cliffschecter.blogspot......-over.html
Wouldn’t ya just love to know the *real* story behind the story?
And how in the name of Dog did this guy ever get nominated for a Pulitzer?
Sufilizard @ 14
I was a contractor/carpenter who specialized in historic homes in Denver — do you have any specific questions?
LS @ 55
Wouldn’t disagree one iota. Development pressures have really hit in last several years, so it is changing, but I’m hoping the housing downturn cools things off for awhile, as land planning for open space is finally getting underway. Mohonk is the nearest place to heaven on earth that I know.
eCAHNomics @ 39
DING!
And also providing a way for Saudi Royals to collect more bribes from arms dealers.
Waccamaw @ 56
Les is a whack-job to be sure. But I met him in DC 2 years ago, and he’s a sweet fellow with a big heart. I was surprised.
Ding Ding Ding
Just spent some quality time with my power washer trying to get ivy remnants off my metal gutters.
Anybody have any suggestions?
We just had the house done and the gutters look terrible. I hope I don’t have to go up and scrape them before painting them!
Anyway it is sunny and humid a good day read a book under the tree.
Has anybody else been getting really wicked thunder storms with bad lightning?
I don’t remember it ever being this bad! We actually made the weather channel a week or 2 ago.
Went to our local Borders and there was a whole table of #7 Harry Potter books discounted.
How’s this economy going?
eCAHNomics @ 39
i think it’s a case of “let’s you and him fight!” i.e. a sucker punch for Iran:
we give the Saudi’s hardware.
we get out of Iraq.
Saudis start really helping Iraqi sunnis.
Iran starts really helping Iraqi shiia.
Fuckwad uses Iranian action as justification to nuke them.
Ahgoo @ 53
In no position to make suggestions but the thought of another young human wandering the world of hobbits brings an extra wide *g* to my face.
BobbyG @ 45
i think it’s called “asymmetrical warfare”.
No f’ing way the Saudis would get involved militarily. Too f’ing perilous for royals. The Saudi role is to provide funding, small arms, and ship their discontents off to blow themselves up in another country.
Mr. Sandman @ 47, back atcha from Mr. Sunshine:
insurance is a commodity, just like milk, and insurance companies are in business to make a profit which many haven’t in specific states because of enormous disasters like Katrina and Florida hurricanes.
However, insurance has been making money nationwide..and that’s a compelling argument for why insurance should be regulated on a federal level, not a state by state one. Some of the most egregious failures in this regard have historically been southern states.
Trent Lott felt there should be no regulation at all [that ol’ market forces meme]. Until it was his own front porch. Then he wanted no exclusions, none whatsoever.
Just one more example of why deregulation or nonregulation opens the door to abuse and even corruption. Common sense federal regulation is a good thing for the consumer in virtually every enterprise…energy, airlines, and, yep, insurance.
Ahgoo @ 53
No it’s not just you. He might be a good age for Wizard of Earthsea - first book in a trilogy-that-grew by Ursula LeGuin. I read it to my son when he was maybe nine or ten and it was a great pleasure for both of us. There is also a very good series by Phillip Pullman called His Dark Materials that should appeal to boys as well. The first volume is called The Golden Compass. You might enjoy it too - I certainly did.
.
Correct: the CIA did not see the fall of the Shah coming. I was not following this stuff back then, but I’ll bet plenty of people saw it. And I would guess you could tell if the Saudis are ripe for a tumble. As near as I can tell, they ship off their malcontents to blow themselves up in another country, and infantalize the rest of the population.
Sufilizard @ 40
Most of the resources I have are on “how to do” a project. If there is a highschool, or techschool that provides OJT for their students, yours might be a good co-operative veture, the students getting skill practice, and yourself, a completed project and all parties are ahead.
Same goes for small contractors as well. Then too, it depends on the “enormity” of the task to be done.
OT - I posted a lot of links for FDLers to get up to speed on Pat Tillman at the bottom of TRex’s Late Late night about soldiers.
There is much to be learned from the ESPN’s four part series and the update.
fahrender @ 63
The majority of the insurgents from other countries in Iraq are from Saudi Arabia, the majority of the 9/11 terroist were from Saudia Arabia.
In Ron Susskind’s book “The Price of Loyalty” Former Secretary of the Treasury Paul O’Neil reports that it was after he was looking into shutting down banking and other economic avenues of Saudis who were “allegedly” donating funds to terroist organizations…O’Neil was let go by the Bush administration. “The Price of Loyalty” is a great book
eCAHNomics @ 66
If we get out of Iraq (which I really want but don’t expect) the Saudis will provide considerable support to the Iraqi sunnis. Iran will provide considerable support to the Iraqi shiia. Allah is in the details ……
Just anounced on CNN….Darth Cheney is back home and resuning his normal schedule…….
Look out America and the world!
Yep, contractors not returning calls; sounds all too familiar.
My advice is slowly, but slowly. History can only be lost, and doing any job fast maximizes that possibility. This suggestion is also a long shot, but if you can find a contractor who may not know historic structure restoration, but who is careful, and you supervise closely, that might work. The problem is that most contractors do “stick” construction, which means just banging things together.
Lots of books on the various subjects, but sorting them all out is work too.
Sorry to be OT, but I just read that Nike received 165,000 emails through the Amercan Humane Society’s website.
I doubt if many of them were to order jersey #7. :o)
Hey, Malkin! Welcome to the power of the ‘net. :o)
BTW; what’s YOUR jersey number? :o)
perris @ 54
Truly, the Fundy Fear that one (or seven) HP books could shake their faith in the Bible to to dust is a sign that maybe their faith is not all it’s cracked up to be, or is a bit misplaced.
If they could take off the stained-glass glasses, they’d see that the Bible is filled with stories of sex, violence, betrayal, redemption, politics, international intrigue, storytelling teachers, fantastic creatures, down-to-earth people, mystical and unexplainable occurences, greed, charity, and more. Singing, dancing, and music abound, in good times and bad. That’s a large part of why I like it. It’s surely a lot better than the finger-wagging holier-than-thou theological treatises that the Fundies hold so dear. (Those make good doorstops, however.)
LS @ 43
Thank you for that, LS. Good stuff.
And the longer the U.S. stays in Iraq,the more realistic this scenario becomes afterwards.
Still, my hypothesis about the Saudis and Iranians is that they don’t want a hot war against each other-a variation on the mutually-assured-destruction theory. I think they’ll be content with proxy wars for a long time to come.
I’ve yet to read any of the Harry Potter series and doubt I will. I have enough non fiction to keep me busy for the rest of the summer.
Ahgoo @ 53
Gary Paulson. Survival after a plane crash in Canada. Boys love it. Be sure he reads them in order.
http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/
Fern @ 68
I have never really groked the Potter Books, but I LOVE Philip Pullman’s books. And I know a fair number of 9-10 year old boys who do as well. Pullman is a great way to pave the way to Hobbits and TLOTRs.
The majority of the insurgents from other countries in Iraq are from Saudi Arabia, the majority of the 9/11 terroist were from Saudia Arabia.
In Ron Susskind’s book “The Price of Loyalty” Former Secretary of the Treasury Paul O’Neil reports that it was after he was looking into shutting down banking and other economic avenues of Saudis who were “allegedly” donating funds to terroist organizations…O’Neil was let go by the Bush administration. “The Price of Loyalty” is a great book.
Kathleen:
In 2002 one of the Saudi high mucky mucks gave dire warnings about what would happen if we went into Iraq. i think it was the foreign minister. he could see this coming and tried to get fuckwad to back off. i believe it’s just a matter of time before the KSA falls. the royal family and it’s coterie are too self-indulgent and corrupt to last much longer.
Thanks Fern for the kid reading suggestions! Ursula LeGuin - had forgotten all about those. I loved them. I will check out the Pullman books too. Road trip to the used bookstore - yippee.
No Potter-reading here either. Not my genre. But feel a twinge of envy. Would love a 700 page book that kept me enthralled.
Ahgoo @ 53
Dating myself with some of these and they may no longer even be available but:
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley and all the subsequent books in the series. The firs has shipwreck, adventure and horse racing.
The Kid From Thompkinsville by John R Tunis. I believe this is the first in a wildly out of date juvenile sports series from the ’40s and ’50s.
Heinlein had a lot of Sci-fi for the early adolescents.
Anne MacCaffrey’s Dragon Riders of Pern (including the Harper Hall trilogy) can be fun and may be good for that age as well.
Here I go again; non-pottery…:o)
The DellNewsPage just put up a substantial piece (By David Bauder) about the liberal pressure being brought to bear on FoxNews’ advertisers.
The article was fair and balanced.
(Tanbark grins one of Larue’s evil grins…:o))
Oh yeah Loo Hoo - the Gary Paulson books were big here. We all read and enjoyed them. Amazing stories.
If you want to lose all respect for Richard Clarke (yes, the Richard Clarke who is the only one to apologize to the 9/11 victim relatives), read his fiction (and I do mean fiction) book about this. It’s called The Scorpion’s Gate, and the good guys win when the Saudi royals are overthrown. Ha ha ha.
Another reason to lose respect for Clarke: he’s good friends with Judith Miller.
eCAHNomics @ 79
the proxy war is already in progress. what happens when one side begins to win? when a proxy war is on your border things get hot really fast. meanwhile, methinks the Turks aren’t going to just sit around and twiddle their thumbs ……
Peterr @ 77
I gather from various reports that many Fundies do not read the bible at all … they just believe what they are told the bible says.
Franco @ 74
Damn! I was so hoping that his pacemaker/fibrilator was a horcrux and that Harry would have to kill it before killing Lord V. Then I figured out that the Dick was really Lord V and that Harry seemed to have gotten him in the book. But now, he’s having his bleedin’ pacemaker/fibrilator battery replaced so he must still be alive. Sigh. By the way, does the new batter mean that the Dick’s fibs will be stronger and longer lasting? Damn! I hate it when that happens.