I like to read. Putting down some thoughts here.
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Big Trouble
Monday, September 4, 2023
I have a reading problem. My enthusiasm for a new book usually only lasts for about 200 pages; by then, whatever eagerness I had to learn about some Very Important subject wears off and the real drudgery of reading sets in. So I set it aside, hoping the future would bring renewed vigor. It should come as no surprise then that the starting date on the front of my copy of J.…more
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Amusing Ourselves to Death
Thursday, August 17, 2023
Can you perform romantic poetry using flag semaphore? Possibly. Can an electric guitar tell a science fiction tale? Despite Rush’s best efforts, not very well. Can a television convey political philosophy? “With great inconvenience” says Neil Postman. In Amusing Ourselves to Death, he makes his case against the TV. The Age of Exposition A society’s primary form of communication shapes our conception of truth. It prioritizes certain types of truth-telling over others.…more
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The Republic for Which it Stands
Saturday, January 30, 2021
Richard White’s The Republic for Which it Stands is an intimidatingly large history. It which takes us from Andrew Johnson, who argued to Frederick Douglass’ face that poor whites were the real victims of slavery, through the parade of bearded Presidents, and all the way to William McKinley. This was an America unable to decide what it stood for. The republican dream of independent producers was constantly threatened, but no alternative could take hold.…more
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City of Quartz
Saturday, May 23, 2020
Table of Contents Introduction/Motivation Week 1 (<2020-06-02 Tue>) Notes Discussion agenda Weekly Questions Preface Questions Summary Prologue Questions Summary Week 2 <2020-06-09 Tue> Sunshine or Noir? Strong Towns: The More We Grow, the Poorer we Become An Insolvency Crisis A Lack of Wealth Simple Math Strong Towns Approach Supplemental Books Movies Misc quotes Links (Articles, videos, etc.) Introduction/Motivation The Left is impotent in the Treasure Valley. Sure, our politics are becoming dominated by the Democratic party, but outside of sporatic semi-successful social justice campaigns and rallies, power is still wielded by the economic elite.…more
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Prisoners of the American Dream: Foreward
Friday, April 24, 2020
Why this book? Why now? I’ve been itching to dive into Mike Davis’ work for a while. Late Victorian Holocosts has sat dormant on my shelf and could never get around to it. His work spans nearly everything I’m interested in: ecology, land use, Southern California, Marxism, economic imperialism, and organized labor. What’s not to like? His books were recently on sale and a ordered a few more. I’m going to start with Prisoners of the American Dream (PotAD).…more