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The primary goal of this site is to provide mature, meaningful discussion about the Vancouver Canucks. However, we all need a break some time so this forum is basically for anything off-topic, off the wall, or to just get something off your chest! This forum is named after poster Creeper, who passed away in July of 2011 and was a long time member of the Canucks message board community.
Arachnid wrote:
Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella Meadows
Fascinating book about Sustainability
While you Christians and your Islamic/Jew buddies go to the sweet hereafter somebody has to pick up the pieces and Carry On up the evolutionary chain
Wait, does one have to be christian/muslim/jewish/new age/pagan ...religious. to have a hereafter what happened to that law of thermodynamics thingy that says energy cant be made or destroyed? if we are all just star dust wont we return to the stars etc etc
One of my old favorites is "The Happy Isles of Oceania-Paddling the Pacific" by Paul Theroux.
It's a bit older now but guaranteed to keep you turning the pages. He's one cynical bastard and pulls no punches when describing different peoples and religions. Worth the time for sure.
Rumsfeld wrote:The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil.
It's science, which is usually not my gig, but this one is intriguing. The author is a certified genuis who has been on the cutting edge of the computer industry since the 60's. It explains how real AI is close and that it will explode our progress a thousandfold in a short time. Basically we will be almost unlimited in our power and ability with the advent of nanotech and the construction of computer minds far more powerful than our own which will be able to think and process in three dimensions. Yeah yeah, I know. The Terminator. Skynet. Judgement Day. But this guy explains why that is an incredibly unlikely scenario.
Pretty fucking interesting.
I was watching a program I believe on the BBC where they had taken a part of a rats brain, put it in a sealed container keeping it basically living, hooked it up to a robot and it reacted & sent message to the robot and here's the interesting part actually changed it's pathways as time progressed to enable it's self to do work quick/faster to make the robot more efficient.
Any way books...I only seem to get around to them in the summer at the cottage, I read A Thousand Splendid Suns & Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Good story line simple but great in sight into what's happening in the middle weast for the regular person. I also read La Carre's latest novel Our Kind of Traitor, always a good story but some times I think La Carre get's visions of greatness rather than just tell his story.
I tried Castles Made of Sand by Andre Gerolymatos...but heavy going. My days of reading War and Peace with enthusiasm have got up and gone
Rumsfeld wrote:The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil.
It's science, which is usually not my gig, but this one is intriguing. The author is a certified genuis who has been on the cutting edge of the computer industry since the 60's. It explains how real AI is close and that it will explode our progress a thousandfold in a short time. Basically we will be almost unlimited in our power and ability with the advent of nanotech and the construction of computer minds far more powerful than our own which will be able to think and process in three dimensions. Yeah yeah, I know. The Terminator. Skynet. Judgement Day. But this guy explains why that is an incredibly unlikely scenario.
Pretty fucking interesting.
I was watching a program I believe on the BBC where they had taken a part of a rats brain, put it in a sealed container keeping it basically living, hooked it up to a robot and it reacted & sent message to the robot and here's the interesting part actually changed it's pathways as time progressed to enable it's self to do work quick/faster to make the robot more efficient. I really enjoyed the Kite Runner and I have stumbled on a new Sci-fi named Love whose first is called 'Faith'. Fantastic story. Anything by Iain Banks works and most of Neal Asher. Hamilton's Night Dawn series too. Love Cornwell as in Bernard. His latest 'Death of Kings' is just great.
Any way books...I only seem to get around to them in the summer at the cottage, I read A Thousand Splendid Suns & Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Good story line simple but great in sight into what's happening in the middle weast for the regular person. I also read La Carre's latest novel Our Kind of Traitor, always a good story but some times I think La Carre get's visions of greatness rather than just tell his story.
I tried Castles Made of Sand by Andre Gerolymatos...but heavy going. My days of reading War and Peace with enthusiasm have got up and gone
rats19 wrote:quoting quotes? with no quoting of your own..dont quote me on that..lol
Hey stand up quicj and take credit
The strange thing was the small portion of rats brain started to develop a memory when it came to repeating tasks by building new track ways. The hope was by studying how the braid actually developed memory they could maybe solve dimentia and Alzheimer's disease. I'm just hoping they make it quick
Cornuck wrote:I picked up Greg Palast's Vulture's Picnic. Damned depressing to learn more than you want to about the real world.
Usefull knowledge....or just depressing?
Palast's books are great reads. He's one of the few investigative reporters left and writes with humour to make it all tolerable. Another of his books, "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy" was great as well. Check out his website and you'll get an idea of what he's about. The link above is the first chapter free online.
rats19 wrote:The gargoyle by Andrew davidson....good read. If,like me you enjoy shit..fucked up.
I've had my eye on this. Well worth the read? What's the mystery behind this novel, from the brief intro on the cover I can't tell if it's some sort of fantasy or the woman visiting the burn victim in the hospital is just mental.
“Tyler Myers is my guy... I was taking to Scotty Bowman last night and he was bringing up his name, and saying he’s a big guy and big guy need big minutes to play, he is playing great for ya… and I agree with him… He’s been exceptional” - Bruce Boudreau
rats19 wrote:The gargoyle by Andrew davidson....good read. If,like me you enjoy shit..fucked up.
I've had my eye on this. Well worth the read? What's the mystery behind this novel, from the brief intro on the cover I can't tell if it's some sort of fantasy or the woman visiting the burn victim in the hospital is just mental.
I confess I am only 1/3rd through It, however am enjoying it alot. Authors first book I believe and he Is unique..just like us rd..lol
I think the girl is actually what she says she Is.....but she could just be certfiable....