Freakonomics
On a recent set of flights I had a lot of time on my hands, and although I carry around an iPod nano with gigs of music and podcasts, and two (2) handheld entertainment systems (a GBA and a DS), I still find that my attention is usually focused on the printed word.
Books (and newspapers) have many advantages over the other competitors for my time. First, and perhaps the most relevant, a book does not pose a threat to aircraft lift-off or landing and thus I'm free to use it at ALL times. Second, there is no dependency on battery life. Third, well, except for some educational podcasts, I feel more satisfied after finishing a book. It's almost like I've learned something, and LIKED it. Yes, actually I suppose it is exactly like that.
The first book that I completed was
Freakonomics, a book where an unlikely duo (one writer - the voice, and one economist - the brains) collaborate to explain how economics drive our behaviour. In this case, economics boils down to our actions under the presence of certain incentives or environmental factors.
For example, a swimming pool in your backyard is more dangerous to your child than a gun in your house, the pyramid nature of drug dealing: most drug dealers make less than they could at McDonalds and continue to live with their parents, the steep decline in violent crime after abortion is legalized: less babies born in "high-risk" environments that often result in growing up as a criminal, and even the WWE nature of Sumo battles: despite the honour and strong traditions, the outcomes of the matches are often pre-determined.
The way Steven and Stephen dissect complex systems and use statistics and logic to explain the reason things are the way they are is surprisingly exciting. I didn't think I was in for such an enthralling read but I burned through it within a couple hours.
Check it out if you've wondered what happens with an uneducated minority in the USA decides to name one son "Loser" and the other "Winner", what's in a name? Would your daughter have a better chance getting a job if you named her "Emily" or "Janaeeesha"? Heck, one woman in California named her baby boy "Shithead", pronounced "Sha-thay-ad".
The statistically backed up answer: A name, no matter how stupid sounding, doesn't affect you nearly as much as how stupid the parents are that raise you; usually the stupider the baby name, the stupider the parents. That makes sense.
The second book (which I had to pick up for my trip back) is only half-finished at present, but it has me by the short and curlies - to be willfully crude. It is a wonderfully surreal story that becomes more dream like and intertwined as it unfolds. The allusions from the three inner "stories" to each other makes me wonder which is the dream and which is the reality being reflected and interpreted by the dream.
Kafka on the Shore, by
Haruki Murakami. I'm loving every page, from the titilating details of Kafka Tamura's horny thoughts (hey he's 15... ok he's a guy) to the cute ramblings of an old man who thinks he can talk with cats. And I definitely will be checking out some of his other works, as well as some of the more traditionally respected pieces (various philosophy books - some by Franz Kafka) he alludes to in his own novel.
It makes me think back to when
Derelict (
this one,
not this one) and I were working on our own novels... of course they were probably the stereotypical fantasy hack-slash "Dragonlance" wannabe, but I read Derelict's stuff and I read my stuff, and I thought it was good. I think I'd write something different now though. Probably something with more work-life and travelling thrown in.
EDIT: I just realized that Haruki Murakami is the same author of another favorite book of mine, Pinball 1973! -
available in PDF format here (and only 80 pages long)
An unfortunate fact is that it is almost impossible to obtain a tangible version of this book anymore. I searched around and see copies going for $300 and up. The first time I read it, I was in university and my Japanese tutor had a copy which he was using to study English. I borrowed it from him and couldn't help but enjoy the twin girls the main character sleeps with (at the same time!) for much of the book.
See, twins! You have to read it now!
Labels: book
Snake Infiltrates Smash Bros
If you've played Smash Brothers for Nintendo 64, or GameCube, you will have most likely been anticipating the next release in the series. I certainly have been, and not only have the graphics been enhanced and new players added, but one of the new characters is none other than
THE Solid Snake.
To satisfy your need for confirmation,
check out the HD trailer for it, courtesy of
gametrailers.com.
All I know is that after Nintendo's VERY impressive showing at E3,
the stock NTDOY has been headed up. From $13 to $21 in just the last 12 months. I meant to get in before E3, but business travel has precluded me from getting time at the bank. That's ok, I'm going in with Nintendo for the long term, they have proven their foresight with regards to innovation again and again.
I'm sorry, I'd say more but... the picture says it all.
SNAKE! Snaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!!!!!
A Short History of Nearly Everything
It has been a while since
my last set of mini book reviews, but I have finished reading two more non-fiction books and I'm ready to give my take on them.
First up is Bill Bryson's "
A Short History of Nearly Everything". I finished this one on my way back from Las Vegas, and I was surprised how easily I covered vast tracts it at a time. Bill's writing style is very conversational and when something technical comes up he uses a variety of approachable methods to reach a wide range of readers. For instance, although not necessarily useful for my fellow esteemed high school graduates, he explains scientific notation in a rather lengthy footnote. I think that part of the reason it works so well is that he is admittedly not the most scientifically or mathematically minded and so he speaks in "common".
Another way that he helps keep the book flowing as he covers everything from plate tectonics to gravity to inner and outer nuclear forces is that he weaves a narrative with the major scientific players of the ages and freely adds dashes of flavour text about their personal lives, eccentricities, and relationships with other players - whether they be friends or enemies.
The second book (that I finished a month or two ago) is Joel Bakan's "
The Corporation". This book has been used as the basis of a movie (which I haven't seen), but it is an amazing and frightening (although very short) read. It shows just how dangerously powerful we are allowing the "virtual-person" entity, aka a corporation, to become.
Entry after entry, the evidence of the corrupt and maniacal practices of corporations is listed in detail. Thankfully I didn't see my employer listed, but in essence corporations can't help it. They are required by law to do anything (whether illegal or not) that can increase their profits for their shareholders. Something to think about, and I'm glad that Canada has already undertaken efforts to reduce the lobbying power of corporations in Canada.
I would recommend both of these books, but the first one was by far the more compelling of the two.
Labels: book
Eighty Blue Shirts - The Best Buy Invasion
I saw
this great article over at Slashdot today, it seems that eighty some people (affiliated with
Improve Everywhere - see original article here) decided to show up at a Best Buy wearing what could easily be confused for the attire of a Best Buy employee.
From the article:
The idea for this mission was submitted by a stranger via email. Agent Slavinsky wrote in to suggest I get either a large group of people in blue polo shirts and khakis to enter a Best Buy or a group in red polo shirts and khakis to enter a Target. Wearing clothing almost identical to the store's uniform, the agents would not claim to work at the store but would be friendly and helpful if anyone had a question. There aren't any Targets in Manhattan, so I decided to go with the two-story Best Buy on 23rd Street.Did hilarity ensue? Yes!
Security guards and managers started talking to each other frantically on their walkie-talkies and headsets. "Thomas Crown Affair! Thomas Crown Affair!," one employee shouted. They were worried that were using our fake uniforms to stage some type of elaborate heist. "I want every available employee out on the floor RIGHT NOW!"Can you imagine the look on the faces of the managers and employees? You don't even have to, because there are a plethora of photos and videos available so you can view the confusion yourself.
Photos (via flicker) -
Gallery 1,
Gallery 2Videos (via vimeo) -
Video 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8An interesting comment from Slashdot:
"You know what age we live in? We live in an age where some pathetic mouthbreathing pantswetters are so fucking scared that they want a fascist, rigidly coontrolled police state to prevent the terrifying prospect of a bunch of people showing up wearing the same color shirt." [sic]
Does anyone else think this would be great fun? Heck the whole family can get in on the fun!
Las Vegas - Moving Sidewalks
The Bellagio has moving sidewalks to get both to and from their casino. Of course, the only thing around to go to (if you are going from their casino) is yet another casino, owned by the same company.
Here are some more shots of the hotel and me. The really dark one is of me in front of the Rio "All Suites" Hotel, the place where I stayed during the conference I spoke at this week.
You can watch a little video I took of the famous Bellagio
musical water fountain show here.
The first book that I completed was Freakonomics, a book where an unlikely duo (one writer - the voice, and one economist - the brains) collaborate to explain how economics drive our behaviour. In this case, economics boils down to our actions under the presence of certain incentives or environmental factors.
The second book (which I had to pick up for my trip back) is only half-finished at present, but it has me by the short and curlies - to be willfully crude. It is a wonderfully surreal story that becomes more dream like and intertwined as it unfolds. The allusions from the three inner "stories" to each other makes me wonder which is the dream and which is the reality being reflected and interpreted by the dream.
