Chat Showing 1,001-1,050 of 1,659

[Maggie]

Joel wrote: "Let's say you got the spiked eggnog-inspired notion to cold-mail copies of your humorous novel to famous people. Who would you send it to?"

Michael Weatherly, star of "Bull," because he has such an understated sense of humor like I sometimes do! That is a fascinating question! It forced me to rethink that most important question of all, "Who's my audience?" Thanks Joel!

[Maggie]

Jay wrote: "Joel wrote: "Let's say you got the spiked eggnog-inspired notion to cold-mail copies of your humorous novel to famous people. Who would you send it to?"

Movie director John Woo. I'd like it made i..."

Really cool idea.

[Joel]

Maggie wrote: "Joel wrote: "Let's say you got the spiked eggnog-inspired notion to cold-mail copies of your humorous novel to famous people. Who would you send it to?"

Michael Weatherly, star of "Bull," because ..."

I live to serve.

[Jay]

So, folks, how is 2017 going so far????

[Rebecca]

Personally, it wasn't bad. Beyond that, I think I'll just close my eyes and pretend it's not there.

[Melki]

Other than the fact that an annoying guy I work with got another job so I won't have to put up with that drama anymore, I can't think of a whole lot of great things that happened this year.

I doubt 2018 will be much better.

Perhaps Roy Moore will get kicked by a horse, but I think that's the best we can hope for.

[Jay]

Melki wrote: "Perhaps Roy Moore will get kicked by a horse, but I think that's the best we can hope for."

Best Roy Moore line I saw this year:
"Trump's tweets are so juvenile, Roy Moore wants to date them."

[Jay]

A Happy New Year to one and all! May all your NY resolutions be achievable, although the one about getting your cat to pee outside the house looks a little iffy.

[Brena]

2017 was a shocking year for the US. We can only hope this has been a wakeup call, and something good will come out of the horror. The jokes are exhausting us. Laughing to cope?

[Rebecca]

Welcome to 2018. Anyone actually making any resolutions? I kind of avoid them, though I do take the opportunity to contemplate what I ought to be accomplishing in the next year. Then I get depressed and go pour another drink.

[Jay]

Need a few tips on managing during this latest record-breaking winter storm???? Many thanks to the HC's Canadian members, who are, as usual, happy to help.





See, it's not so hard.

[Melki]

My husband and I went out to breakfast at a local cafe yesterday morning. It was a fine, but freezing, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There was a young couple sitting at the booth next to us. We ended up hearing much more of their conversation than we wanted.

He: You know about Martin Luther, right? He founded the Lutheran church?

She: And so we celebrate him today?

Um, hmm . . . .

[Jay]

Melki wrote: "My husband and I went out to breakfast at a local cafe yesterday morning. It was a fine, but freezing, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There was a young couple sitting at the booth next to us. We ended..."

Somewhat similar, I once told a joke at work:

A rare book dealer walking down the street notices a pile of trash on the curb. Atop the pile is a Gutenberg Bible. Terribly excited, he knocks on the door and tells the resident that he's throwing out an extremely valuable book. "Oh, not this one," said the resident, "someone named
Martin Luther wrote notes all over it."

I then had to explain that the joke was about the Protestant Reformation. "Oh," said a coworker, "I thought you were making a joke about Martin Luther King."

Apparently, sleeping through history class is a trend.

[Joel]

Jay wrote: "Melki wrote: "My husband and I went out to breakfast at a local cafe yesterday morning. It was a fine, but freezing, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There was a young couple sitting at the booth next t..."

You should have just nailed your explanation to the door.

[Melki]

Joel wrote: "You should have just nailed your explanation to the door. "

Or, perhaps their foreheads . . .

[Rebecca]

I suppose they think he was King Martin Luther.

[Joel]

I'm curious: Where do you get the books that you read?

[Brena]

Joel wrote: "I'm curious: Where do you get the books that you read?"

Amazon, Target, and I buy a lot of books at Casa de Los Ninos at Prince and Mountain.

[Lisa]

What about discovering new books? How do you learn about books that you might want to read?

[Brena]

Lisa wrote: "What about discovering new books? How do you learn about books that you might want to read?"

I learn about new books through sites like this. I have favorite authors, and I like to look at books in stores to check out the jackets and read the beginnings. I have bought books at the 50% off shelves in airport shops that sometimes turn out to be a good read.

[Brena]

I owned a hotel and had a reading room/library. It was interesting to see what books people took and what books they left. I had some textbooks from school in there and often found the book on human sexuality and various psychology books in peoples rooms.

The books left by guests were mostly romance, historical fiction, and self help books. Occasionally I would find great books I had been wanting to read. That was a treat.

I had a guest give me his book. It was 500 pages on the Yalta Conference. It was done on a typewriter and very well written. He was dying and wanted to share. That was very sweet.

Stanley Greene stayed for a week and gave me his book, Black Passport before it was published. I had a few authors for guests, but Stanley Greene was by far the most interesting.

[Jay]

Joel wrote: "I'm curious: Where do you get the books that you read?"

Numerous sources. Of course, Amazon Kindle and I are old friends. However, I also love a nice hardcover or paperback. Some are recommended by friends. Some, I'll see online, or from an author interview on TV. I rarely pass up a bookstore browse, and I always support the local library when they have a book sale.

[Jay]

Brena wrote: "I owned a hotel and had a reading room/library. It was interesting to see what books people took and what books they left. I had some textbooks from school in there and often found the book on huma..."

What a marvelous way to accumulate an eclectic collection! I'm envious, Brena.

[Brena]

Several years ago I had the task of clearing out a town library. I asked the County to go through them and pick out what they wanted for their library. Nothing. I invited every person I knew to go through the books. Nothing. The library had an impressive collection of every TV guide printed. The librarian was the only black person in a 100 mile radius, and she spent her yearly book allowance on black history books. I salvaged a couple of chairs and the old card catalog cabinet. All the books ended up in the bin.

[Jay]

Brena wrote: "Several years ago I had the task of clearing out a town library. I asked the County to go through them and pick out what they wanted for their library. Nothing. I invited every person I knew to go ..."

That's a genuine horror story. Usually, the worst libraries are found in schools.

[Rebecca]

I get most of my books at the library, since I work there. I use their digital resources, too (ebooks and audio ebooks).

[Martin]

Brena wrote: "Several years ago I had the task of clearing out a town library. ... I salvaged a couple of chairs and the old card catalog cabinet. All the books ended up in the bin."

That really saddens me. However I had a related experience a few years back. I had worked for many years in a (British) government supported science research institute. It was very highly regarded and the science library was superb. Lots of important books, and the library of bound volumes of major science journals was exceptional, overflowing into several corridors and adjacent rooms. After retiring I was trying to locate an obscure Italian medical journal and thought that my old institute library just might have subscribed to it, so I phoned the librarian. She was almost in tears. On orders from head office, she had spent the previous week putting all the older journals and some of the reference books into rubbish trucks, to be taken away and pulped. Head office had decreed that everything of interest was now accessible on-line, so clear out the clutter of old books and periodicals.

[Lisa]

While on the subject of libraries, I thought I’d share this article I stumbled upon today—it gives a little hope: https://www.theguardian.com/books/boo...

[Brena]

Martin wrote: "Brena wrote: "Several years ago I had the task of clearing out a town library. ... I salvaged a couple of chairs and the old card catalog cabinet. All the books ended up in the bin."

That really s..."

They world of books is changing. I got rid of all my reference books because it is easier to go online. I know people my age who hate hard bound books and see them as clutter. I get rid of a lot of books, but I still have book towers that form around my bed. I still prefer the feel of paper. Online reading annoys me.

[Lisa]

Ed wrote: "Join the Union!!!!

https://www.humortimes.com/66635/ucwa..."

Thanks, Ed! Looks like fun. I just subscribed.

[Jay]

With the passing of Stephen Hawking at age 76, the world mourns the loss of a brilliant and accomplished scientist. However, it may be that his most important contribution was his bestselling books, documentaries, and television appearances on news programs and entertainments such as Star Trek. Hawking successfully used his fame to make science accessible to the mainstream. Almost all of us have learned something from this inspiring man. What a marvelous legacy.

[Melki]

Jay wrote: "With the passing of Stephen Hawking at age 76, the world mourns the loss of a brilliant and accomplished scientist. However, it may be that his most important contribution was his bestselling books..."

[Jay]

Melki wrote: "Jay wrote: "With the passing of Stephen Hawking at age 76, the world mourns the loss of a brilliant and accomplished scientist. However, it may be that his most important contribution was his bests..."

Great quote.

[Melki]

Jay wrote: "Melki wrote: "Jay wrote: "With the passing of Stephen Hawking at age 76, the world mourns the loss of a brilliant and accomplished scientist. However, it may be that his most important contribution..."

I found this one today - so appropriate for this group:

[Joel]

There's a rumor SH was a long-time Humour Club member, known to us only as "Gretchen". Frankly, Stella would have been funnier.

[Joel]

Why is Napoleon known as Napoleon, and not Bonaparte?

[Melissa]

Joel wrote: "I'm curious: Where do you get the books that you read?"

Goodreads, Facebook, and nosing around on publisher websites.

[Brena]

Joel wrote: "Why is Napoleon known as Napoleon, and not Bonaparte?"

He probably dropped di Bonaparte as he came from an insignificant family. The British at the time called him Boney...true.

[Jay]

Brena wrote: "The British at the time called him Boney...true."

My understanding is that the British called him quite a few names.

[Lisa]

Joel wrote: "Why is Napoleon known as Napoleon, and not Bonaparte?"

I always speculated that perhaps he preferred it that way. Bon aparte in French literally translated means "Good apart" or more loosely, it's better to be apart -- that is, separated or away from. I would suspect it only makes it harder to make friends and get good press if your last name warns people to stay away.

[Joel]

Lisa wrote: "Joel wrote: "Why is Napoleon known as Napoleon, and not Bonaparte?"

I always speculated that perhaps he preferred it that way. Bon aparte in French literally translated means "Good apart" or more ..."

You mean like, "Kardashian"?

[Jay]

Joel wrote: "Lisa wrote: ""Good apart" or..." Joel wrote: "You mean like, "Kardashian"?"

Actually, Joel, Kardashian derives from an ancient Armenian dialect, Loosely translated, it means: 'If you have no life, come watch me try mightily to be famous for no good reason.'

A more modern translation would be: 'Follow if you're into ridiculous and\or totally pointless time sucks!'

Although some prefer the shorter definition: 'Automatically scroll elsewhere.'

[Jay]

Some of us remember when Walter Cronkite was "the most trusted newsman in America." Curiously, we don't seem to have such a person these days. Do we????

[Rebecca]

Jay wrote: "Some of us remember when Walter Cronkite was "the most trusted newsman in America." Curiously, we don't seem to have such a person these days. Do we????"

Cokie Roberts? Of course, she's retired. Ditto Scott Simon.

[Joel]

We managed to go an entire weekend without once turning on any of the so-called news networks. I wonder if this is what detox feels like?

[Brena]

Joel wrote: "We managed to go an entire weekend without once turning on any of the so-called news networks. I wonder if this is what detox feels like?"

I don't know how you do it. I read the news, but I can't look at Trump on TV without feeling like I am going to have some kind of seizure.

[Melki]

Brena wrote: "I don't know how you do it. I read the news, but I can't look at Trump on TV without feeling like I am going to have some kind of seizure."

Agreed. I greet every day with a what-fresh-hell-is-this feeling, and an absolute horror of discovering what he might have said/tweeted overnight.

[Rebecca]

I cannot tell a lie: I've been rather disengaging from the news. I just can't take it. I read the paper--cautiously. That's safer than even NPR.

[Martin]

Brena wrote: "I don't know how you do it. I read the news, but I can't look at Trump on TV without feeling like I am going to have some kind of seizure."

I'm glad to say that we don't have to watch or listen to him too often on this side of the pond. I think I'll add that to my (rather short) list of the advantages of living in Britain.

[Brena]

Martin wrote: "Brena wrote: "I don't know how you do it. I read the news, but I can't look at Trump on TV without feeling like I am going to have some kind of seizure."

I'm glad to say that we don't have to watc..."

Fox News was pulled from Britain. Lack of viewers and investigations into their biased reporting. I think you can be proud to be British.