Re: OOT Book Club
 

I know it's cliched, but I plan on reading Sun Tzu's The Art of War after I finish studying for my Architecture license.

I've never been a fond reader, but I'd like to start reading more.

Re: OOT Book Club
 

I thought confessions of an econ hitman was a big let down. I was very excited when I started it but soon I grew tired of his constant moralizing, lecturing and agenda pushing. It would have been so much better if it was written by someone loved being an economic hitman, and who was cold blooded about the whole thing.

I too doubt how much is true

Re: OOT Book Club
 

Kyle,
I thought the book was pretty mediocre. I thought it's conclusions and methods were very good, but after 10 minutes I needed to put it down because I was so bored. I haven't started It Ain't over till it's over, but it should be good. If you didn't like Blink you probably wouldn't really like Freakonomics or The Tipping Point, but they are both interesting books you can plow through pretty easily.
If you like Moneyball you should probably read Liar's Poker which I have heard very good things about.

Re: OOT Book Club
 

I did not like Blink but like Freakonomics, which was written by the colleague of the man who wrote Super Crunchers.

Liar's Poker was okay.

Re: OOT Book Club
 

[ QUOTE ]
I thought confessions of an econ hitman was a big let down. I was very excited when I started it but soon I grew tired of his constant moralizing, lecturing and agenda pushing. It would have been so much better if it was written by someone loved being an economic hitman, and who was cold blooded about the whole thing.

I too doubt how much is true

[/ QUOTE ] http://usinfo.state.gov/media/Archive/2006/Feb/02-767147.html

Re: OOT Book Club
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I thought confessions of an econ hitman was a big let down. I was very excited when I started it but soon I grew tired of his constant moralizing, lecturing and agenda pushing. It would have been so much better if it was written by someone loved being an economic hitman, and who was cold blooded about the whole thing.

I too doubt how much is true

[/ QUOTE ] <a href="US State Department on CoaEHM" target="_blank">http://usinfo.state.gov/media/Archiv...html</a>

[/ QUOTE ]

I mean:

[ QUOTE ]
Perkins is apparently not aware that the National Security Agency is a cryptological (codemaking and codebreaking) organization, not an economic organization. According to its public Web site, it is restricted by law to two missions:

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, great. And the President doesn't have the power to declare war, the CIA is not supposed to work domestically, and theoretically we get to decide on taxation without representation. None of these things actually occur.

I'm not saying the book is totally factually accurate, but there's not much of a surprise that the government rejected the book's premise by quoting official statistics.

The debt relief portion of the article isn't surprising; they could have granted debt pardons to countries they cannot suitably convert for military use.

The book might not be packed with truth, but the statement released by the government doesn't do anything to dissuade me from believing in it.

Re: OOT Book Club
 

Sorry for the bump, but has anyone ever read anything by Charles Bukowski? I was recently recommended this book:

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/...A240_SH20_.jpg

[ QUOTE ]
Low-life writer and unrepentant alcoholic Henry Chinaski was born to survive. After decades of slacking off at low-paying dead-end jobs, blowing his cash on booze and women, and scrimping by in flea-bitten apartments, Chinaski sees his poetic star rising at last. Now, at fifty, he is reveling in his sudden rock-star life, running three hundred hangovers a year, and maintaining a sex life that would cripple Casanova.

[/ QUOTE ]

It sounds pretty interesting, and the reviews have been relatively good. Can anyone back this up?

Re: OOT Book Club
 

[ QUOTE ]
theoretically we get to decide on taxation with representation. None of these things actually occur.

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course we do. We elect the legislators who create tax law. It's not imposed on us by space aliens.

Do you, personally, get to vote on each item in the IRC? No, but you elect the people that write, veto, and eliminate tax laws.

Re: OOT Book Club
 

I thought Liar's Poker was very good. I just read it last weekend. My best friend didn't think much of it. I think it's a much better read if you're in that industry which I am.

The Smart Money was a very good book. I read it in 2 days, I think.