All That is Solid Melts into Air

We read part of this for my environmental design course about cities. It focuses on the trends in city planning, the recent renewal projects, and parallels all this with french poetry, modern art movements etc. It's an interesting mix in the respect and I think the other chapters take you to cities all over the world and detail what urban life is like for the inhabitants. Well written and excellent combination of art and urban design.

Orhan Pamuk and Turkish law.

The NYTimes has an article that mentions the legal scrapes of the author Leah recommended.
See Article

Response to Leah

I went to the sight and found an interesting biography about him: fohttp://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4953/vonn.htmlund an interesting biography about him
However Kurt Vonnegut doesnt realy have one style Breakfast of Champions is much different than Cats Cradle.
The sight said Slaughter House Five was his best book(i havent read it)would you agree?

Vonnegutsy Books

I found this site dedicated to Vonnegut but it also lists books written in a similar style, perhaps a few new books to read?
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4953/vonn.html

Green Bay Packers!!

Have you read any of these books listed here?

Breakfast of Champions Excerpts

Not even the president of the United States knew what that was all about. It was as if the country was saying to it's citizens, "In nonsense is strength."

1492

The teachers told the children that this was when their continent was didcovered by human beings. Actually millions of human beings were already living full and imaginitive lives on the continent at 1492. That was simply the year in which sea pirates began to cheat and rob and kill them.

Kurt Vonnegut

I started reading Breakfast of Champions and its already my favorite book
its a satirical book about America in the near future particularly about a sci-fi author named Killgore Trout

PS I'm changing my vote to other

My Mistake

My Mistake
Steinbeck wrote of mice and men

Voting

We had trouble voting because it would let us changeone vote, but not add votes. Anna wanted to vote forRowling.
Each computer can only vote once but every computer can vote once(if you have multiple computers every familly member can vote 3 votes came from my house)

Kurt Vonnegut

I didnt know Kurt Vonnegut wrote of mice and men. It seems a stark contrast to Cats Cradle. I read part of of mice and men and didnt like it very much
i hope i have better luck with cats cradle

Bye Bye Incondecent

Over 2 centuries ago the incandescent light bulb was invented;popularised by Thomas Eddison in the early 1800s. For over 2 centuries the incandescent light bulb has been in use. Now we can all say goodbye. In 1972 General Electric invented the fluorescent light bulb, now incandescent sales are falling 10 to 12% annually(poor people who invested in them). Did you know if everyone traded one incandescent for one fluorescent it would be the same as taking 800,000 cars off the road and $600million would be saved annualy. Because of these allarmming figures Congress has finnally past a bill the pressident actually didnt veto. Along with many other things it says by 2014 a 100 wat light bulb can only be 75 and simmilar % for different wats and by 2020 all wats have to be divided in 4 (100 wats=25wats).

Sry

Sry i lied again
comments can be posted to anything
but i was right in the fact the Turkish Journalist thing and Bin Laddins son article were copied directly from yahoo news

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%27s_Cradle I realy enjoyed this review
Sry I lied I can post comments but comments cant be posted on things directly copied from the news(bin Laddinn and Turky Armenia journalist

To Isaac

To Isaac
I cant comment acomment for some reason so im just adding posts
I think Turkey was in some way partialy or indirrectly responsible for the assination. Was it ballowed into the European Union? I dont think so.
I dont think people will listen to Bin Laddins son and expect he has a secret aggenda.
Why dont you vote on the polls
Eric

The son of Osama bin Laden

One of Osama bin Laden's sons, Omar Osama bin Laden, in an interview with the AP said he is seeking to serve as an ambassador for peace. He wants to explore other (nonviolent) options for Islam to defend itself. He plans to travel 50 km/day across North Africa starting in March. His mission: to spread the message of nonviolence.

Atricle in El Pais

Response to Isaach

I think Canada should let the UN interfier. All laungauges in the rest of Canada are not persacuted(meaning internal bussiness speech, Sighn posts having larger one laungauge than another). Why should Quebec be special, all other non-devoloping nation under the UN cant disclude other laungauges. Even without all of Quebecs laws at least 40% of Quebec would speak french. Its not like Ireland where Gaylic would die the majority of Quebec allready speaks French. I think Canadas treatment of Quebec is unnexceptable; with discrimination on English, Its own legal system and laws; and it still thratens to suceed. No other province gets that kind of treatment. I think Canada should fase out most of its laws.
Eric

Mourners Remember Assassinated Armenian-Turkish Journalist

Today in Istanbul, Ankara and elsewhere in Turkey protesters gathered against Turkish nationalism. Hrant Dink, an Armenian-Turkish was a assassinated one year ago today by a Turkish ultra-nationalist. Dink worked for a left-wing newspaper and in an Armenian seminary in Turkey. He had been incarcerated prior to his death for publishing about the Armenian genocide that took place at the hands of the Turks during WWI. After being released he was gunned down by an attacker on the steps of the Armenian seminary where he worked. Subsequently, a government investigation fraught with improper conduct failed to answer important questions about who was behind the assassination. Protesters chanted in Armenian, Kurdish and Turkish, claiming the government was behind the murder, advocating for a new investigation, and calling for a more democratic and pluralistic Turkey.

Coverage from El Pais

Quebec language politics

Below is the link to an article I saw today. Bill 101 is Quebec's language law which requires all signs (including those belonging to private businesses) to be written in french. non-french languages can also be on signs but must be no more than 3/4 the letter size of the french part. businesses with over 25 (maybe 35?) employees must use french for all internal communications. The provincial and municipal governments are only obliged to publish materials in french. Immigrants, their children and the children of canadians who went to french-language schools are required to attend french-language schools (while a child of a canadian who attended an english-language school within canada is allowed to attend either). no new english-language schools are to be built in the province. road signs are only french and packaging of goods is required to be in french (english is not required -both languages are required in the rest of canada). quebec has some influence in determining who of the immigrants bound for quebec is eligible to immigrate (language being the chief criteria). Certain portions of radio and other media are required to be in french as well. some of these rules are reasonable, but many are not.

Understandably, the quebecois seek to preserve their language and culture. however, they fail to recognize that montreal has been only partially french for a century or more. the city used to be about 1/2 anglo and 1/2 french. anglo (and allo) montreal it would seem should be able to enjoy the same cultural autonomy within quebec as quebec enjoys within canada. now montreal is 20% anglo, 30% allo and 50% french. With continuing talk of creating quebec citizenship, admitting only francophone immigrant and seeking independence, Quebec should remember that Canada (with its good international reputation) has defended Quebec (and its language policies) against attempted UN action to end the language laws. Quebec ought to returnt he favor by softening the most egregious portions of the language law and promoting further bilingualism accross all of canada (including quebec). French in quebec is in no danger of disappearing. French is strong in the world and quebec remains a major magnet for francophones moving to north america. it only stands to gain from further bilingualism.

recent activism covered in CBC article

Sry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%27s_Cradle That is the real Cats cradle site, The old one is faulty My Mistake
ps Irealy enjoyed and I think ill like the book

Cats Cradle Review

Sry this is not at the bottom of the page but here is an excellant review of "Cat's Cradle"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat's_Cradle

Its so sad im the only one who voted for Dan Brown . . . who did all you people vote for

Copying a Hint from Ficus Boy - Water for Elephants

Ficus boy said...

A book I recently read that I really enjoyed was WATER FOR ELEPHANTS by Sara Gruen. I really enjoyed the view point of the older gentlemen in the book. If you have a chance you should give it a read, it is a quick read. From Jan (I am new to this)

Other Colors, Orhan Pamuk

I just picked this one up at the Wexner Art Center in Columbus (a signed copy nonetheless) and it's been really enjoyable to read. Because it is a collection of short reflections/essays, it's easy to read whenever you have extra time. The subjects of the essays vary, but many have to do with Istanbul, offering beautiful insight into the city. There's a story for everyone in here.

I strongly reccomend The Years of Rice and Salt and Digital Fortress. The Years of Rice and Salt is writen by Kim Stanley Robbinson and is an alternative history of what would happen if 99% of Europe died in the Black Death. Digital Fortress is a fiction novel about a "unbreakable algorithm."