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145 days ago

Review Icon bernardifowler reviewed Jose Saramago in Literature (Contemporary) Authors:
Though Saramago writes in a manner that is difficult to read, his books are captivating!

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177 days ago

Review Icon numbah16tdhaha reviewed Colonel Thomas X. Hammes USMC in History Authors:
The USMC caught my eye. Haven't read his books, but any Marine who openly bashes the Joint Chiefs and thinks private military contractors (or MERCENARIES, as I like to call them) have no place in US military operations is worth a look.

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Votes on this review: 2 Helpful / 0 Funny / 2 Agree / 0 Disagree

177 days ago

Review Icon numbah16tdhaha reviewed Oliver North in History Authors:
I'd likely only throw him a two based on what I've seen of his work, but I'll hook a Marine up and give him a three.

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177 days ago

Review Icon numbah16tdhaha reviewed Carl von Clausewitz in History Authors:
Kinda sad that we have thousands of reviews of Better World Books and shit and I'm the first motherfucker to drop a review on this item. For those of us with a higher level of literacy and an interest in military theory, he's a good read.

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177 days ago

Review Icon FranksWildYears reviewed Bob Woodward in History Authors:
FROM: The Onion

Anonymous Source Informs Bob Woodward He Hasn't Been Relevant In 40 Years

WASHINGTON—Investigative journalist Bob Woodward announced Thursday that he’s received credible information from an anonymous source confirming that Woodward hasn’t been a relevant force in American journalism in 40 years.

“Though I cannot divulge his name, I can tell you that he’s an extremely reliable, high-level government source, and thus far everything he’s told me about how I’m no longer a salient or even particularly respected journalistic figure completely checks out,” Woodward told reporters, describing a late-night parking garage rendezvous in which the Washington Post editor was purportedly told to “follow the writing.”

“My source assured me that once I read my careless reporting on the Iraq war, my exaggerated interviews, and my exploitative and inaccurate account of the recent sequestration situation, it would be abundantly clear that my influence in the field has substantially waned since Watergate. And he’s right. It’s all true.”

Woodward then accidentally revealed that his source’s name was White House Communications Director Daniel Pfeiffer, which prompted the journalist to murmur, “Goddamnit, Bob, you’ve really lost it,” under his breath.

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180 days ago

Review Icon abichara reviewed Bob Woodward in History Authors:
Woodward was used by various interests in the national security apparatus to bring down Richard Nixon, who was freelancing too much as Pres. for their tastes. Woodward and Bernstein relied on someone (Mark Felt) who was indicted for illegal domestic spying and whom Nixon had blocked from the top FBI post. It was a power play, pure and simple. But the mythologizing around Watergate and Woodward continues nevertheless. He's a product of that.

Woodward has always been a cipher for the establishment. Today, he's nothing but a cheerleader for the neoconservative set in D.C. His recent outburst, imploring Obama to break the law by not allowing sequestration to impact aircraft carrier deployments in the Persian Gulf is a case and point. Woodward seems to think that the law is just some petty, trivial inconvenience that can be dismissed at will, especially by the President. To him, it's almost as if the President is displaying weakness by obeying the law.

Woodward's recent comments are nothing but a tempest in a teapot, pure pretense. Obama certainly isn't refraining from engaging in military action out of some sort of quaint deference to the law. Remember, this is a president who continued to wage war in Libya not merely without Congressional authorization, but even after Congress expressly voted against its authorization. That was an impeachable offense in my book. This is a president who has repeatedly argued that he has the right to kill anyone he wants, anywhere in the world, not only due to Congressional authorization, but also his own powers as President. If Obama really wanted to deploy a second aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, he would do so, knowing that journalists like Bob Woodward and members of both parties would cheer him.

Sequstration is just a flamboyant political stunt designed to dramatize how the Republicans are leaving us all exposed and vulnerable with budget cuts. All sides and all political interests that have some sort of material stake in the game are lining up to protect their political turf and deflect blame onto the other party. The people will end up paying, while well-connected players across several sectors continue to benefit from the gravy-train of spending. The cuts to defense spending are minuscule, especially juxtaposed to social spending, which will be cut fairly steeply by proportion.

Then there's the hysteria Woodward spreads about how we'll all somehow be endangered if the US has only one rather than two aircraft carriers stalking Iran in the Persian Gulf. What possible harm could come from that? None. This is all grounded in a cartoon narrative of Iran as a frightening hegemon threatening the US that must be contained with massive assertions of military might. The reality, of course, is that even with these sequestration cuts, the US military budget is so much larger than Iran's that they are not in the same universe. That would remain true even if we had 20 sequestrations. The very idea that two aircraft carriers are needed at all in the Persian Gulf, let alone one to keep this country safe, is laughable.

It's to be expected that authoritarian and militaristic political values shape the leadership class and their followers. But it also shapes the impressions of the media as well, which basically only serves as a propaganda organ for the establishment.

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Votes on this review: 3 Helpful / 0 Funny / 1 Agree / 0 Disagree

196 days ago

Review Icon abichara reviewed Leo Strauss in Government Authors:
Strauss was a Platonic philosopher at the University of Chicago who died in 1973 and was extremely influential over the growth of American neoconservatism. The common thread in all his works is the notion that deceit (by way of the "noble lie") is necessary for elites to maintain control over an orderly society. Strauss saw the role of the elites to manufacture or manipulate reality to suit their needs. History to him was the equivalent to war; all "higher" human values evolve from politics and conflict. If there is no enemy image to reflect off of, one must then be manufactured.

In effect, he worships power and self-survival, for there is no particular nation, idea, religion, or race that he believes in. This is where their doctrine of "pre-emption comes from: their goal is to dominate another power before they even consider taking action against you.

Philosophically, I see him as an extension of Nietzsche, who claimed that there is no truth, truth is merely the destruction of illusions to him. For Strauss, the end of the world is more desirable than a stable state based on economic development and socioeconomic justice. That in my view is what makes neoconservatives so patently dangerous on the world stage. Yet, if you want to understand how modern events fit into the broader historical picture, it's probably quite important to understand Strauss, as his ideology largely defines the political culture of many Western societies today.

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210 days ago

Review Icon Monstermaster reviewed Brothers Grimm in Children's Authors:

Hello one and all, Monstermaster13 here with another salute. This one is rather special because it coincides with the 200th Aniversary of the Brothers Grimm.

First of all i'd like to discuss the work of the brothers themselves, before Disney came along and made movie adaptations of their classic stories....these stories were very dark and creepy.

But they left a lasting impact on us, as well as being adaptated by Disney, they are also various other adaptations too as well as the 2005 film Brothers Grimm.

And mostly recently there was a television series that has brought a new spin on the classic stories of old.

What is the name of the show, you ask? Why it's Grimm. Grimm is a fairy tale based fantasy drama on NBC that takes a whole new spin on classic fairy tales of old.

The series follows a man named Nick, who is a detective who comes from a long line of beings known as "Grimms", the Grimms have numerous supernatural powers including the ability to see a Wesen in their true morphed state.

Alongside him are his companions including Monroe who is a Blutbaden (wolf-like Wesen) who changed his ways and turned good.

I thought the only good shows on NBC at the moment were the Tonight Show With Jay Leno, 30 Rock, Parks And Recreation, the pilot to Mockingbird Lane, Heroes, and Commuinity but I was wrong...

My mind was blown when I say episodes of this show, this show is amazing and I loved every single episode i've seen of it so far.

The Wesen (pronounced Vey-zin) are amazing and I love the morphing effects that are used in this show, normally I am against CGI in place of makeup and practical effects but shows like this are an exception.

If you were to ask me what my favorite Wesen types are in the show, I would have to say it's the following: Melifers, Mauzhertz, Klaustreich, Reinigen, Lowen, Blutbad, Hexenbiest, Dickfellig, Selengut, Eisibiber, Fuschbau, Bauerschwein and Nuckelavee.


The Mauzhertz are mouse-like Wesen that are extremely timid and are easy prey for more terrifying Wesen such as the Lausenschlange. But they are adorable, the Reinigen are musically talented rat-like Wesen (which makes them my personal favorites because I like music and rats.), the Blutbad are extremely dangerous wolf-like Wesen with a heightened sense of smell (just don't show one the colour red though), the Eisibiber are a race of kindly beaver-like Wesen (my dad once said...Niiice beaver when refering to a beaver at the zoo once. I'm sure he'd say the same thing about these guys) and the Mellifers are a race of bee-like Wesen.

Hexenbiest are creepy but awesome looking witch-like Wesen, the Fuschbau are a crafty fox-like Wesen species, Dickfellig are large rhino-like Wesen that are skilled at fighting, the Lowen and Klaustreich are two very savage cat-like species of Wesen with the Lowen being lion-like, the Nuckelaavee are a race of strong horse-like Wesen, the Selengut are very shy but kind sheep-like Wesen and the Bauerschwein are pig-like Wesen that are out for revenge.

I really love this show and for those who haven't seen it, give it a watch, you'll really enjoy it.

If you love fairy tales or love anything TF related, then you'll just love this show. I gurantee it!

I suggest reading the original fairy tales and watching the tv series when it coems on, you won't be disapointed.

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212 days ago

Review Icon Enoughofthat reviewed Joseph Prince in Christian Book Authors:
I tuned in to watch him on Christian television because I liked the title of one of his books called "Unmerited favor".

I could have sworn I actually heard him say something like Pastors are afraid to teach on grace because they think their congregation will stop tithing (and giving) and some pastors think teaching on grace will be taken as a green light to sin. He then said if you understand the grace and full measure of God's grace (Un-merited) favor paid for by Jesus on his cross) and love for you it will change you and you will not want to offend God by willfully sinning when he loves you so much.

I'm loving his teaching on Grace but of course he has found a way around grace to keep those tithes coming in.

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222 days ago

Review Icon abichara reviewed Martin Luther King in History Authors:
Yesterday, I mentioned where true political power finds it's expression: not through weapons of destruction, but through mass action. Martin Luther King Jr. is an excellent exponent of that principle. Through his words and actions, he served as a catalyst for political change. Ultimately, that's what he should be remembered for on his holiday.

Here was his last sermon, at the Washington Cathedral. His message was is how you will express yourself for love and justice, or how you will remain un-awake. Lack of awareness equals lack of political power, ultimately.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedde d&v=g-_qDtKgLD4

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"Through our scientific and technological genius, we have made of this world a neighborhood and yet we have not had the ethical commitment to make of it a brotherhood. But somehow, and in some way, we have got to do this. We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will all perish together as fools. We are tied together in the single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. And whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. For some strange reason I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. And you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the way God's universe is made; this is the way it is structured…

In a few weeks some of us are coming to Washington to see if the will is still alive or if it is alive in this nation. We are coming to Washington in a Poor People's Campaign. Yes, we are going to bring the tired, the poor, the huddled masses. We are going to bring those who have known long years of hurt and neglect. We are going to bring those who have come to feel that life is a long and desolate corridor with no exit signs. We are going to bring children and adults and old people, people who have never seen a doctor or a dentist in their lives.

We are not coming to engage in any histrionic gesture. We are not coming to tear up Washington. We are coming to demand that the government address itself to the problem of poverty. We read one day, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." But if a man doesn't have a job or an income, he has neither life nor liberty nor the possibility for the pursuit of happiness. He merely exists…

It seems that I can hear the God of history saying, "That was not enough! But I was hungry, and ye fed me not. I was naked, and ye clothed me not. I was devoid of a decent sanitary house to live in, and ye provided no shelter for me. And consequently, you cannot enter the kingdom of greatness. If ye do it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye do it unto me."That’s the question facing America today.""

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That's political action, that's power in action.

Yet today, we live in a world where we have different types of warfare that kill millions and harm billions and loot trillions of dollars worth of assets, all of which are not even close to being lawful. Meanwhile, our financial system is effectively a rigged casino for well connected players who operate cartels across several different sectors that serve as wealth transfer devices from the bottom to the top. To cover this reality up, the media (owned by these same forces) lies by omission to obfuscate and distract the masses from these criminal activities centering on war and money, all while refusing to advance obvious solutions to these problems.

MLK taught us that we have the power to end these circumstances, we just don't use it.

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