Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion

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message 1951: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments I don't mind the shorts either. Shorts are fairly common. Short films, Music singles, short sausages (oh...hang on..that is just me craving breakfast, which is not little sausages, but boring cereal).
The thing I don't like is the potential for every tom, dick and harry to jump on the band wagon and flood the market with short stories..:/


message 1952: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Someone I know just posted this elsewhere on GR. Thought others may be interested.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/...


message 1953: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments I think that's a great re-use of space, but I don't think I could do it. Part of going to the beach, for me, are shifts in wind, which help shift the scents of sand and water (dead fish and bad food, but I block those out :D )
It's odd to think one might feel claustrophobic in such a massive place.


message 1954: by Anne (new)

Anne (spartandax) | 797 comments Terri wrote: "Someone I know just posted this elsewhere on GR. Thought others may be interested.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/..."


Makes me wish I was able to and could afford to travel. Scotland, Austria and Germany are on my wish list.


message 1955: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments It would not be a place I would go as I don't like crowds. :)


message 1956: by happy (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments Anne wrote: ...Makes me wish I was able to and could afford to travel. Scotland, Austria and Germany are on my wish list.
"

You and me both - I have the same places on my wish list - also I need to get to Terri's stomping grounds and return to Japan

Retirement it not THAT far off :D


message 1957: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Yes, come to Australia! :)


message 1958: by happy (last edited Feb 24, 2013 11:59PM) (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments It is one of the places I really want to see. My oldest daughter took a 3 week school trip to Sydney between her soph/jr yrs (10 yrs ago or so)of college and got school credit for it. SHe still talks about it. My souvenir was a Silk Syndey Opera House Tie (touristy I know), that I often wear to church :D


message 1959: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (last edited Feb 25, 2013 02:05AM) (new)

Terri | 19576 comments I love to buy touristy stuff when I travel. I am a sucker for it.

Make sure you come to Queensland. We'll meet you somewhere if you do. :)


message 1960: by John (new)

John Phillips | 63 comments Terri wrote: "It would not be a place I would go as I don't like crowds. :)" l will have to take you to a Coventry City game then :)


message 1961: by Serena (new)

Serena The First Fossil Hunters Paleontology In Greek And Roman Times by Adrienne Mayor

So Adrienne Mayor has linked mythology with dinosaur bones.


message 1962: by Crystal (new)

Crystal Bryan | 305 comments That sounds very interesting Rena!


message 1964: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments Bobby wrote: "https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb... Oh this is good."

Brilliant!


message 1965: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments John wrote: "Terri wrote: "It would not be a place I would go as I don't like crowds. :)" l will have to take you to a Coventry City game then :)"


That sounds really crowded. :(


message 1966: by John (new)

John Phillips | 63 comments Terri wrote: "John wrote: "Terri wrote: "It would not be a place I would go as I don't like crowds. :)" l will have to take you to a Coventry City game then :)"


That sounds really crowded. :("

Not the last time l went mate, huge stadium with not many fans....sigh !


message 1967: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Oh..it's like that. :( Poor CC.


message 1968: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments In the post today was Devoured by D.E. Meredith but I noticed something odd under the dust cover, so I removed it and the actual book cover is a map of late 19C London. Plus it comes with its own built in bookmark. I'm impressed. I have to see if the story lives up to the rest, but not for a while.


message 1969: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Ohh that sounds lovely. It is added things like that which will make books hold their market share. They need to make books special. (I mean 'more' special..;)..)


message 1970: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments Reading tip: It is ill-advisable to read the first chapter of each monthly read to decide which to carry on with first.

In my copies, each has 22 pages for the first chapter. Now I want to read both at the same time. I haven't got two sets of eyes/hands or brains... I question that I full one of the last at the best of times


message 1971: by Ben (last edited Mar 01, 2013 07:21AM) (new)

Ben Kane (benkane) | 299 comments Go for mine, D, go on, go on! ;-)

(Also, Devoured is a very good book - enjoy!)

And @Bryn @Terri @Crystal @Leslie: the new digital 'shorts' are mainly being done to rouse reader interest ahead of a new book by that author. I've just been asked to do one that will come out about a month ahead of the new Hannibal book. Apparently, they can be very effective. They don't seem to pay that much (although that depends on sales) but they are good at 'finding' readers who are new to the author in question...


message 1972: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) I agree D....you should join me with Ben's book first. :)
I'm starting tonight when I get home.

I do the same thing when I'm trying to decide what to read but I read them to my sister and she picks for me.


message 1973: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments All right, you've both won me over. Ben's book first it is.


message 1974: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Yeah! :)


message 1975: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Okay, where were we talking about cattle?? For the life of me I can't remember which inappropriate thread that was.....maybe it's better I'm bring it up again here instead. :D

Terri, I talked with my hobby farmer co-worker and he said that there are three versions of polling here. So either they breed to a polled bull, they poll them at 4 or 5 months by burning the horns so that it kills the roots or they cut them off later.
The descriptions I was getting of how this was done was enough for everyone else to tell us to stop talking about it. :)


message 1976: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments Dawn wrote: "Okay, where were we talking about cattle?? For the life of me I can't remember which inappropriate thread that was"

Vikings thread.


message 1977: by Bobby (new)

Bobby (bobbej) | 1375 comments Having just finished The Forgotten Legion (Forgotten Legion Chronicles, #1) by Ben Kane I'll be starting Hannibal Enemy of Rome (Hannibal, #1) by Ben Kane tonight.


message 1978: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments Tip #2 for the day: Ensure you have enough packing tape when in the event you get the urge to pack up your library in one go.

I had collected enough boxes, but neglected to check on adhesives. Now my mojo is fractured LOL


message 1979: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Thank you D! All I could find was something about cows in the fantasy thread.


message 1980: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (last edited Mar 01, 2013 03:38PM) (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Dawn wrote: "Okay, where were we talking about cattle?? For the life of me I can't remember which inappropriate thread that was.....maybe it's better I'm bring it up again here instead. :D

Terri, I talked with..."


It is a painful procedure.
Burning, scooping, slicing off. They are all dehorning and none are nice. :(
There are the cells that attach the horn to the skull at a certain age. You get in early enough and take enough of the cells from around the 'horn nub' and it will prevent the horn growing back.

As a farmer who prides herself on using 'best practice' as regards animal welfare, I will rejoice on the day when a pain free dehorning procedure is made available at an affordable price to farmers. I don't think it is too far away. Within the next decade. Which is not soon enough.
We do a hundred or more dehornings every year, although we have some poll genetics (which are the cattle that naturally have no horns.. or poll scur - the cattle that have small deformed horns that never attach to the skull). Due to these poll and poll scur genetics some calves naturally have no need to be dehorned.
I would like an affordable anaesthetic to inject into the horn area before dehorning. I would love that. Hate doing cruel things to animals.


message 1981: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments D wrote: "Tip #2 for the day: Ensure you have enough packing tape when in the event you get the urge to pack up your library in one go.

I had collected enough boxes, but neglected to check on adhesives. No..."



hahaha. Life's little tribulations. :)


message 1982: by Leland (new)

Leland (lelandhw) Terri wrote: "Dawn wrote: "Okay, where were we talking about cattle?? For the life of me I can't remember which inappropriate thread that was.....maybe it's better I'm bring it up again here instead. :D

Terri, ..."


But don't you dehorn them to prevent injuries? Can't have them going about gouging each other or you right? Or is there another reason? I'm a total and complete city girl, so I know nothing I haven't read in a book. LOL


message 1983: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (last edited Mar 01, 2013 04:07PM) (new)

Terri | 19576 comments You are right. That is why we do it. For our safety and theirs.
It is dangerous to be in close quarters working cattle with large horns, but yes, mostly we do it for the animals. They can get their heads stuck in trees, they can gouge each other. A lot of cattle with horns get a lot bossier when they know they have them and they challenge other cattle to fight, or smack other cattle with the horns around watering troughs etc. Even little calves can get bad injuries from other cows knocking them out of the way with horns.
Female cattle fight all the time. They have a hierarchy. No matter whether the herd is 500 head or 10 head. There is a ladder and each cow has a place on that ladder.
I have even seen boss cattle with horns get those horns under smaller or less bossy cattle and lift them. Turn them over on their backs into a feed trough or water trough. The animal then cannot get out or right themselves and they die in there. On their backs, unable to right themselves.
So it is important for many herds to have no horns. definitely.
You are very right. :)


message 1984: by Ben (new)

Ben Kane (benkane) | 299 comments @Terri: I'm surprised that you mention a need for anaesthetic for dehorning to be affordable. Lignocaine,which is what's used, is cheap as chips - it's got to be one of the cheapest drugs vets use....is that not the case in Oz?


message 1985: by Linda (new)

Linda (ladylawyer8650) | 1702 comments Random thought about the weather: Is is snowing in Dixie. First flurries we have had this winter. Coldest temps all winter. This is March, spring is only a few days away!


message 1986: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (last edited Mar 02, 2013 03:25PM) (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Ben wrote: "@Terri: I'm surprised that you mention a need for anaesthetic for dehorning to be affordable. Lignocaine,which is what's used, is cheap as chips - it's got to be one of the cheapest drugs vets use...."

I am not sure over here on the price, nobody uses anaesthetic for dehorning or castrating over here. The main problem is not the cost of the anaesthetic, but that a vet must administer it. So that adds the travel and the hourly rate to the vets bill. Which makes it cost prohibitive.
If we could administer it ourselves that would be good. And it would have to work quickly. As you know, having jumpy calves or cattle in the head bail too long can be a problem.
The anaesthetic also has to have a limited withholding period and not have any restrictions on meat consumption. ie Russian eligible. Russia takes a lot of boxed meat from us and to be RE there are long withholding periods. Although with Russia it is mainly only antibiotics that they are concerned with.

I will ask my vet about lignocaine. Do they use that in the UK during dehorning?


message 1987: by Linda (new)

Linda (ladylawyer8650) | 1702 comments If you want to see a fillibuster in US Congress, Senator Rand Paul, KY, Rep., has been talking 8 hours. It's been a good while since anyone has fillibustered Congress. You may recall the movie, MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, where Jimmy Stewart fillibustered. Today we can see the real thing on TV. Very interesting to witness.


message 1988: by Crystal (new)

Crystal Bryan | 305 comments He says he's going to talk until he can't talk anymore.


message 1989: by Carol (new)

Carol (ladygyn) | 304 comments It is good as he is discussing the targeting of American citizens in the US on native land utilizing drones. He is concerned about the abuse of powers by the executive branch arbitrarily deciding to target American citizens on American soil for suspected planning of terrorism. One would think there are more equitable ways to capture and prosecute these people especially if they are not actively firing at you like the branch davidians. Even then drones were not used.


message 1990: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (last edited Mar 06, 2013 10:10PM) (new)

Terri | 19576 comments I do think using drones to monitor suspects on one's own home soil is going a little too far. But then I have not seen a pros and cons on it yet. Did not know about the 'filibustering' or talks on it either, which is to be expected. I am not American, nor living in America. :)


message 1991: by Anne (new)

Anne (spartandax) | 797 comments I'm beginning to envy you Terri.


message 1992: by Tim (new)

Tim Hodkinson (timhodkinson) | 577 comments Anne wrote: "I'm beginning to envy you Terri."
Never mind the US government, insurance companies are also using unmanned drones these days in the US as part of their loss control operations.
hopefully they aren't armed.


message 1993: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Anne wrote: "I'm beginning to envy you Terri."

haha. :) The only 'drone type things' we have around here are the remote control model planes and helicopters that they fly at the local school oval, where the Remote Control Model Aeroplane Club meets once a month. lol.
They have enough problems trying not to crash those things into trees and houses, so I think we are safe. ;)


message 1994: by Linda (new)

Linda (ladylawyer8650) | 1702 comments Tim, I don't understand what you mean. Can you elaborate a little?
Terri, for me the pros and cons depend upon the faith I have in the government entity ordering any kind of monitoring of my civil liberties. Are we in the USA discovering that there is something new under the sun, or that the pendulum is not swinging any more? Scary stuff.


message 1995: by Linda (new)

Linda (ladylawyer8650) | 1702 comments Terri, that was a good one! Still lol.
Derek, I doubt the chamber was full. I couldn't endure 8 hours of listening, but I have to admire anyone who could talk for 8 hours. Since I didn't listen, I wonder if Sen. Paul resorted to reading the phone book?


message 1996: by Anne (new)

Anne (spartandax) | 797 comments Linda wrote: "Terri, that was a good one! Still lol.
Derek, I doubt the chamber was full. I couldn't endure 8 hours of listening, but I have to admire anyone who could talk for 8 hours. Since I didn't listen..."


I heard of past ones reading the local newspapers, books, the Constitution and the Bible-LOL


message 1997: by Crystal (new)

Crystal Bryan | 305 comments He spent some time reading tweets. lol


message 1998: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments The should have the time police from the Academy Awards cut off his mic and play some random chamber music after say, 5 hours.

What a waste of tax payers' money though. I consider this the same sort of thing as a child stomping their feet, sighing heavily etc when wanting a treat and the parent is pretending to ignore them in hopes they'll give up. Does no one any good. Well, maybe a lozenge company the next day.


message 1999: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Did you watch the last Academy Awards? If they ignored the orchestra, they started playing the music from Jaws. It was pretty funny. :)


message 2000: by Linda (new)

Linda (ladylawyer8650) | 1702 comments Hurrah for the orchestra. I passed on the Oscars this year. Wish I hadn't since the orchestra meant business.


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