Todd (toddnemet) - Palo Alto, CA (725 books)

Todd and 3 other people liked Craig's review of Ready Player One:

" I am the target audience for this book -- on paper, at least. I am a geek and have been since before it was hip. My formative years were the 80's and, like any good geek, I grew up on the usual for the time: I consumed Monty Python in vast abundan... " Read more of this review »

Todd rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Pro Git
by Scott Chacon

read in May, 2013

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

I probably should have read this 5-6 years ago. Oh well. Made for a lovely Friday evening.

Todd is currently reading

The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America
by George Packer

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Todd rated a book 4 of 5 stars

VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV's First Wave
by Nina Blackwood

read in May, 2013

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Well in my previous review I was making fun of Baby Boomers for essentially huffing their own navel lint for sustenance. So I should probably confess that I actually preordered this book about the original MTV VJs to have it automatically delivered t...more Well in my previous review I was making fun of Baby Boomers for essentially huffing their own navel lint for sustenance. So I should probably confess that I actually preordered this book about the original MTV VJs to have it automatically delivered to my Kindle upon release. I must confess further that I stayed up all night to read it.

As fate would have it, I was grounded the entire summer that MTV first appeared on Toledo's Buckeye Cablevision. (I was a bad kid.) This led to me logging a lot more MTV time than your average suburban youth.

I know that it's a cliche to say "back then MTV actually played videos," but these were early days when there was a limited number of videos actually available to play. And I have seen this handful of videos many, many times. If I close my eyes long enough, I can conjure up an image of Aldo Nova using his laser-shooting Les Paul to open the door of some warehouse. (Laser-shooting Les Pauls are largely off the streets these days thanks to government-funded buyback programs in the '90s.)

So it was kind of cool to read about what was going on behind the scenes while I was being all pimply and awkward. Turns out: lots of cocaine and lots of sitting around a little studio in Chelsea recording little video snippets all day.

But the big surprise for me was that Alan Hunter isn't gay. That explains why I couldn't find his It Gets Better video. Oh well. No that's a joke. I'm sorry.

The big surprise is that Nina Blackwood posed nude in Playboy pre-MTV. If I could have found that issue I think I would have a lot more muscle tone in my right arm.

And the next biggest surprise is that two of the VJs (Mark Goodman and JJ Jackson) took their rock and roll very seriously. Unfortunately JJ is no longer with us. But Mark Goodman really opens up to make sure we know that he really knows his 38 Special from his Lou Reed.

I find that kind of shocking because even as a dorky, suburban, white bread kid of 12 I knew that 90% of the limited rotation on MTV was soulless corporate rock for people (like me) with pedestrian tastes. So it's kind of sad to hear the VJs taking it so seriously. But then again being an original VJ is much rarer than being one of the Mercury Seven, so who am I to judge.

A small fraction of the music MTV (over)played has aged better than the rest of it (i.e. early Van Halen and -- somehow, miraculously -- Journey), which doesn't make it awesome music. But occasionally there would be a video that was either confusing (Wot by Captain Beefheart or that Fish Heads song) or really great (Tattooed Love Boys by The Pretenders or Elvis Costello covering Nick Lowe). Just enough to keep me watching obsessively. I was so dumb that I thought the VJs actually picked the videos back then.

Martha Quinn and Alan Hunter understood MTV on a deeper level, probably subconsciously, by just being someone to hang out with while watching video after video after video.

And then in college the game shows started appearing on MTV. By that time I had moved on to David Letterman.

Since it's an oral history, it reads very quickly. The book is kind of boring when discussing life pre- and post-MTV, but there are enough good stories sprinkled around to make it definitely worth reading.(less)

Todd rated a book 2 of 5 stars

The Someday Funnies
by Michel Choquette

read in May, 2013

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Bought at Feldman's Books, a completely overlooked used book store in Menlo Park. They have a great selection of graphic novels/comic books way in the back. This book was in the armful that I got that day, along with some books by B. Kliban that migh...more Bought at Feldman's Books, a completely overlooked used book store in Menlo Park. They have a great selection of graphic novels/comic books way in the back. This book was in the armful that I got that day, along with some books by B. Kliban that might have been a wee bit too old 10 year old.

The big deal with this book was that he commissioned a bunch of cartoonists, known and unknown, and even some non-cartoonists, definitely known, to contribute their impression of the 60s in comic form.

Originally this was going to be a quick supplement in Rolling Stone, then maybe a special edition. Some guy from National Lampoon named Michel Choquette was hired to use his contacts to commission the prints.

Eventually Jann Wenner either tired of the project or caught a whiff of the stench of death coming off the project and cut the whole think loose. For almost a decade following Mr. Choquette continued to commission pieces and nearly set up financing several times.

How do I know so much about the history of this book? Because the book rubs your face in it every chance it gets. One must read through (or more wisely skip over) an introduction, forward, and preface before getting to the strips. After that comes a profile of the editor, information about the team that helped with the project, and finally on the last page a compilation of correspondence with editors.

Fair enough. Baby boomers were practically raised on nostalgia and lint from their own belly buttons, so one can forgive six separate pieces on why you should be grateful for the opportunity to spent money to hold this here book in your hands.

But what is far less forgivable are the little caricatures of Mr. Choquette traveling around that have been inserted in the actual cartoons. (Originally the spaces were being held for R. Crumb to draw his Mr. Natural guy, but R. Crumb and Mr. Natural both declined to get involved.) It would have been hilarious and slightly less of a non-sequetor if they put drawings of Maxine from those greeting cards there instead, but once again no one consulted me on how to make something more awesome.

So, in conclusion, summing up, netting this out, anyways, at the end of the day, to bottom line this, judging from the reverence that the six meta-articles instruct us to show for these comics, isn't this the moral equivalent of putting a moustache on the Mona Lisa? Or is a 40-year old story about wheedling art out of people exactly on par with 40-year old art itself?

Now I'm too grumpy to write about the comics except to say that I quite liked a lot of them.

Come over to my house and borrow it so that you don't have to shell out $50 ($25 used) to check this collection out.

I read a Comics Journal that went off on the coloring process in the book, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment on that. But if you are the sensitive artist type, be forewarned.(less)

Todd rated a book 2 of 5 stars

Welcome To Your Financial Life by Virginia B. Morris

Welcome To Your Financial Life: A Guide To Personal Finance In Your 20's And 30's
by Virginia B. Morris

read in April, 2013

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

I read this book because Diana bought some as gifts for some graduating seniors. She bought it because it is the book that a local charity buys for the people that it helps put through college.

Since I have unusually strong opinions about financial wr...more I read this book because Diana bought some as gifts for some graduating seniors. She bought it because it is the book that a local charity buys for the people that it helps put through college.

Since I have unusually strong opinions about financial writing, I wanted to check it out and try to read it from the point of view of a young person just starting out in a career.

My feelings about this book are mixed. On the one hand there is a lot of information, but on the other hand there is too much information. So while there was clearly a lot of thought put into the content -- such as a two page spread about debit cards -- I can't imagine anyone in their early 20s sitting down to read all of it.

I would also like to see the text be a bit more opinionated. It's a lot to ask someone to absorb all this material and then extrapolate from that the best financial plan for them. This is especially hard in the face of the marketing and poor advice that they are bound to run in to.

For example, credit card companies set up tables on college campuses with the goal of getting incoming freshmen to buy their books on credit. The argument usually given is that it is a great way to build up your credit history so that you can buy a car. It would be nice to have a section on this type of marketing and explaining what everyone's motivation is.

Instead the tone is too neutral. Paying off your credit card is one option, paying the minimum is another option, paying somewhere in between is another option. Obviously #1 is the only good option if you want to survive your 20s without moving back home, so the book should state that flatly.

The part on investing was pretty weak too. Compounding investments is covered well, but there is some really crappy advice something like "set up a pretend portfolio online and see how good your analysis of companies is." That seems dangerous and somewhat conflicting with the advice on the same page to avoid day trading. And why even bring up derivatives? They get more space than index funds, which is a much much better investment option.

Ultimately, people starting out investing need a handful of guidelines and some idea of what to watch out for. And then several examples of typical budgets/plans that are likely to apply in different ways. Then an FAQ section for common questions and a glossary in the back. That would be a much more useful reference for someone in their 20s.

As for what book I would recommend, I don't know. I remember liking Andrew Tobias's Only Investment Guide You Will Ever Need a lot. It was opinionated and filled with a lot of practical tips. It might be too adult in tone though. The Elements Of Investing might be good but there isn't much on budgeting. Maybe Dilbert's guide to personal finance is all they need: https://retirementplans.vanguard.com/...(less)

Todd rated a book 2 of 5 stars

The Anarchist Cookbook
by William Powell

read in April, 2013

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

I've always been curious about this book, so when I heard it mentioned on Rachel Maddow's show a few days ago I searched for it on Google. The PDF was one of the first hits. (No way I was going to pay the publisher any money, especially after the aut...more I've always been curious about this book, so when I heard it mentioned on Rachel Maddow's show a few days ago I searched for it on Google. The PDF was one of the first hits. (No way I was going to pay the publisher any money, especially after the author has disavowed the book and asked that it not be published any more.)

This book works best as an artifact of the 70's, in particular the bummery part of the 70's. There is a lot of talk about revolution, freeing one's mind, and standing up to the man. The philosophy weaved through the book, such as it is, was probably a pretty groovy rap for picking up girls with long hair and headbands, but I don't think it could survive the morning sun and running out of pot.

The first chapter is on drugs because I mean what's the point of revolution if your mind is still in chains, right? Some of the recipes are downright ludicrous like how to get high from bananas and peanut shells. But this is what life was like before the Internet. Misinformation moved slowly like bugs in amber, not like the crazy water bugs we have 30+ years later.

Then there is a delightful chapter on bugging and sabotage. There are handy tips on shoplifting, and how to do it in a way that stays true to the revolution. Then the next page talks about executing people who violate the code of the revolution. What the...? How did we get from stealing ham to killing infiltrators?

It turns out that this book was written by a 19-year-old who basically copied and pasted a bunch of stuff from military manuals and whatever else was laying around. The anecdotes are completely made up, as if the one about buying peyote in Mexico wasn't a dead giveaway.

Then there is a chapter about hand-to-hand combat that would probably only be useful to that poor Star Wars kid from the video.

Then there is a chapter on how to make explosives and how to use them to blow up stuff. There is even a helpful diagram showing the 10 or so places you need to put charges on a suspension bridge to bring it down. It's hard not to smile at the thought of a bunch of guys dressed in 70's clothes crawling around a suspension bridge with their homemade TNT in an effort to stick it to the man. Soundtrack by Isaac Hayes. Or maybe the A-Team theme.

Then the book is over, and you are now a revolutionary. Go out and kill the pigs and wake people up from their sleep and blind obedience to the machine and execute an infiltrator and meet a beautiful hippie chick and make her some pot-laced spaghetti from one of the recipes in chapter one.

If I had a time machine I would go back to 1970 and show Mr. Powell that Nike commercial with The Beatles' Revolution just to break his little revolutionary heart.

Both sides lost -- the hippies and the pigs. The world is controlled by multinational corporations. Hmm, maybe I'll write a book about how to defend yourself and fight back against these corporations. Some jerk can laugh at me in 30 years.

Disclaimer: A lot of very bad stuff went down in the 70s. There was plenty of stuff to protest against, and a lot of brave people protested and made their voice heard. I have the privilege of knowing some of them.

But this book is not the way forward and it is more likely to get you blown up then to change the world. The author agrees with me on this.(less)

Todd rated a book 2 of 5 stars

Inside Cyber Warfare: Mapping the Cyber Underworld
by Jeffrey Carr

read in April, 2013

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

This was an okay overview of cyber warfare. I have this thought then I'll get drafted into the army, so I better learn about cyber warfare so that I don't have to carry a gun or lift anything heavier than a laptop.

There are several different authors...more

Todd rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Accidental Mind: How Brain Evolution Has Given Us Love, Memory, Dreams, and God
by David J. Linden

read in April, 2013

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Read this based on the strength of Compass Of Pleasure.

This is one of those Copernican/Darwinist/Hubble Deep Field science jobs that almost gleefully describes just what an insignificant, accident of a mess humanity happens to be. Some people might r...more

Todd’s Profile

Todd’s favorite books

Todd’s Bookshelves

Todd is Currently Reading

rss
Todd's Recent Updates

Quotes Todd Likes

Todd’s Friends (137)

Todd’s Favorite Authors

Listopia Votes

2013 Reading Challenge

Quizzes and Trivia

Todd and 3 other people liked Craig's review of Ready Player One: " I am the target audience for this book -- on paper, at least. I am a geek and have been since before it was hip. My formative years were the 80's and, like any good geek, I grew up on the usual for the time: I consumed Monty Python in vast abundan... " Read more of this review »
Jun 16, 2013 06:37am · see review
Todd rated a book 4 of 5 stars Pro Git by Scott Chacon read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I probably should have read this 5-6 years ago. Oh well. Made for a lovely Friday evening.
May 24, 2013 09:57pm · see review
Todd is currently reading The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America by George Packer	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 24, 2013 05:00pm
Todd rated a book 4 of 5 stars VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV's First Wave by Nina Blackwood read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Well in my previous review I was making fun of Baby Boomers for essentially huffing their own navel lint for sustenance. So I should probably confess that I actually preordered this book about the original MTV VJs to have it automatically delivered t...more
May 20, 2013 10:15pm · see review
Todd rated a book 2 of 5 stars The Someday Funnies by Michel Choquette read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Bought at Feldman's Books, a completely overlooked used book store in Menlo Park. They have a great selection of graphic novels/comic books way in the back. This book was in the armful that I got that day, along with some books by B. Kliban that migh...more
May 20, 2013 09:08pm · see review
Todd rated a book 2 of 5 stars Welcome To Your Financial Life: A Guide To Personal Finance In Your 20's And 30's by Virginia B. Morris read in April, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I read this book because Diana bought some as gifts for some graduating seniors. She bought it because it is the book that a local charity buys for the people that it helps put through college. Since I have unusually strong opinions about financial wr...more
Apr 26, 2013 01:41am · see review
Todd rated a book 2 of 5 stars The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell read in April, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I've always been curious about this book, so when I heard it mentioned on Rachel Maddow's show a few days ago I searched for it on Google. The PDF was one of the first hits. (No way I was going to pay the publisher any money, especially after the aut...more
Apr 26, 2013 01:23am · see review
Todd rated a book 2 of 5 stars Inside Cyber Warfare: Mapping the Cyber Underworld by Jeffrey Carr read in April, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This was an okay overview of cyber warfare. I have this thought then I'll get drafted into the army, so I better learn about cyber warfare so that I don't have to carry a gun or lift anything heavier than a laptop. There are several different authors...more
Apr 26, 2013 12:57am · see review
Todd rated a book 5 of 5 stars The Accidental Mind: How Brain Evolution Has Given Us Love, Memory, Dreams, and God by David J. Linden read in April, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Read this based on the strength of Compass Of Pleasure. This is one of those Copernican/Darwinist/Hubble Deep Field science jobs that almost gleefully describes just what an insignificant, accident of a mess humanity happens to be. Some people might r...more
Apr 26, 2013 12:45am · see review

Todd’s Profile

rssTodd's Recent Updates

Quizzes and Trivia

rss
Todd's Recent Updates