Jump to content

Smiley

Sysops
  • Posts

    953
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    23

Everything posted by Smiley

  1. Complete primary meaning is " all there", as in the whole ball of wax. An automobile is complete if all of the various parts are there.. Finished means done, over, nothing more to do. a finished project is a completed project...but that sense of the words is a secondary meaning of each. A well finished cabinet means that the surface has been sanded, polished, and rubbed to the most attractive appearance. A compete pie is one which does not have a slice missing. So when i pie is done the work is finished and the pie is complete. once a piece has been eaten it is no longer complete. and when all the pieces have been eaten it is really finished.
  2. Smiley

    Med School

    When I was a senior in High School several of my buddies and I sent in applications for the premed program run by Johns Hopkins in conjunction with the University of Baltimore. We were notified that we qualified, contingent on passing a suitable written examination. We reported to the school and were given a paper with one question: "Unscramble the following letters and identify the part of the human anatomy most effective when erect E N S I P" Those who answered SPINE went on to become doctors. The rest of us now post jokes on internet forums.
  3. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on March 5th, 2016 (00:30 A.M. (GMT), March 6th ), for a discussion of The Barbarians by Algis Budrys (January 9, 1931 – June 9, 2008). Budrys wrote a number of Science Fiction stories, mostly for the pulp monthly Scifi magazines, as well as several novels. He is most noted as an editor and critic, primarily of science fiction and fantasy publications, and as a longtime teacher at the Clarion Writers Workshop. This story is an example of a main-stream "Speculative Fiction" tale from the later golden age. It falls into the general category of post-apocalyptic naratives way back when the threat was seen as the collapse of modern society due to a feared nuclear war (the story was published under the pen name John Sentry in If, February 1958. In the 1950s the threat was viewed as the Soviet Union, not a Zombie invasion. The tag line for the story was: "History was repeating itself; there were moats and nobles in Pennsylvania and vassals in Manhattan and the barbarian hordes were overrunning the land." The story deals with civilized behavior and honor. I think you will enjoy it. The story is available on line at: http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/63681/ Meeting Place: Webchat: http://koach.com/cha...=readers_corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner I hope you can all make the chat, there will be a number of things to discus. Log Attached: #readers_corner20160305.txt
  4. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on February 27th, 2016 (00:30 A.M. (GMT), February 28th ), for a discussion of Gentlemen and Players by E. W. Hornung (1866 - 1921). Hornung was an English writer during the late 19th and early 20th century. His first story was published in 1886 and for the next ten years or so produced seven novels and two collections of short stories set in Australia (where he had lived for several years). In 1893, Hornung married Constance Doyle (the sister of his friend, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) and in the late 19th century wrote a series of stories about a pair of thieves, Raffles and his sidekick Bunny, whose relationship mirrored that of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Raffles was a lovable scoundrel and the character for which Hornung is most remembered. This week's story features Raffles in a sort of reversed detective story. There are references to the game of cricket which I am sure our Australian friends will be able to explain to those of us unfamiliar with the game. Although the story takes place in the late 19th century, the writing style and plot make the tale seem much more contemporary. I feel certain you will enjoy it. The story is available on line at: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/GentPlay.shtml Meeting Place: Webchat: http://koach.com/cha...=readers_corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner I hope you can all make the chat, it promises to be lots of fun. Log Attached: #readers_corner20160227.txt
  5. Please note: Because of real world commitments on the 13th, there will be no readers' corner chat that date. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on February 20th, 2015 (00:30 A.M. (GMT), August 21st ), for a discussion of Show-And-Tell by George Singleton. We read a Singleton story (Hex Keys) last Autumn and enjoyed the story. I think you will enjoy this one even more. Once again, Singleton explores the interplay between a father and son as the father explores renewing a relationship with an old flame. The story is available on line at: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2001/07/show-and-tell/302275/ Meeting Place: Webchat: http://koach.com/cha...=readers_corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner Koach will be visiting family in North Carolina so he will have a large pitcher of sweet tea handy. I might just deep fry a few Krispy Kreme donuts to share with y'all. Don't forget to bring a friend to two along with you. LOG ATTACHED: #readers_corner.20160220.txt
  6. Thank god, the burger king wasn't his favorite famous person.
  7. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on February 6, 2016 [00:30 A.M., January 31 (GMT)], for a discussion of "Year of the Big Thaw" by Marion Bradley. Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley (June 3, 1930 – September 25, 1999) was a prolific American author of fantasy, historical fantasy, science fiction, and science fantasy. She will be remembered by most fans of science fiction and fantasy genres for her "Darkover" and her "Avalon" series of novels. Some of Bradley's writing dealt with feminist issues and alternate lifestyles although her books dealing with lesbian love and similar topics were published under various pseudonyms. Some of her Science Fiction and Fantasy stories deal with female characters and/or are told from the female's point of view, but not to the extent that male readers feel that they are "chick" stories. This weeks story, tells of an alien infant adopted by a New England farmer's family. The story tells of a baby alien, saved from drowning in a crashed spaceship and adopted by a farm family in New England (I am certain that any similarity between the tale and the original version of Superman's arrival on earth is purely coincidental) It was published in Fantastic Universe 1.6 (May 1954). The story is available at: http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/58539/ Meeting Place: Webchat: http://www.koach.com/chatlogin.php?chan=%23Readers_Corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner I hope to see you all there. readers_corner-20160206.txt
  8. Don't all men keep their ties down that way?
  9. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on January 30, 2016 (00:30 A.M., January 31 (GMT)), for a discussion of "The Bush Undertaker" by Henry Lawson. Lawson was a respected and prolific poet and short story author from Australia during the late 19th and early 20th century. Many of his stories deal with the hardships of rural life in Australia. Wikipedia has an interesting ariticle on Lawson. This week's story is a snapshot of a few days in the life of a sheep herder in the Australian outback. Nan brought this story to my attention and suggested that it might be interesting to broaden our discussions with some Australian language and culture. I think you will enjoy the story and we can let Nan explain the dialect. The story is available at: http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/12063/ Meeting Place: Webchat: http://www.koach.com...#Readers_Corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner I hope to see you all there. Log Attached: readers_corner-20160206.txt
  10. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on January 23, 2016 (00:30 A.M., January 24 (GMT)), for a discussion of "Lorelei" by Jerome Charyn. The story is a contemporary one telling the tale of a somewhat lovable con-man who winds up symbolically crashing on the rocks because of the seductive song of the sirens. Its a bit of a change of pace from our recent stories, and I think you will all enjoy it. Charyn is a contemporary writer, with some 30 novels, several non-fiction books, and many short stories to his credit. Over the past 50 years he has a built a reputation as an inventive and prolific chronicler of real and fictional American life. This story is my first encounter with his work, but I will attempt to locate additional stories by him for my own enjoyment and potential use in future Readers' Corner chats. The story was published in the August 2010 (Fiction) edition of the Atlantic Monthly and can be found on line at: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/08/lorelei/308038/ Meeting Place: Webchat: http://www.koach.com...#Readers_Corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner I hope to see you all at the chat.
  11. Smiley

    Worst Day Ever

    Any story worth telling is worth telling twice.
  12. Following info provided by Stormy: Sysop Sysops 840 posts LocationAlpine, TX Posted Today, 01:52 AM For those with both a Kindle and Google Chrome. Chrome has an extension you can add. It places an icon on your top tool bar, when you find a story or web page you want to place on Kindle, just click the icon and choose 'Send to Kindle' or simply press 'CTRL+k'. Link is below: https://chrome.googl...lkieebhea?hl=en
  13. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on January 16, 2016 (00:30 A.M., January 17 (GMT)), for a discussion of "A Descent into the Maelstrom" by Edgar Allan Poe. Poe needs no introduction, we have discussed many of his stories in #Readers_Corner and I believe that most of us are already aware of his status as the seminal influence on the modern detective story. Most of us are also aware that Poe is Koach's absolute favorite author. Since it has been a while since our last examination of one of his stories (and because I sense that Koach is going into an advanced state of Poe withdrawal) it seems an opportune time for another one. Like most Poe stories "A Descent into the Maelstrom" tells a frightening tale but this ne atypically one with a happy ending. I think you will enjoy reading it. It can be found on line at countless web sites including: http://americanliterature.com/author/edgar-allan-poe/short-story/a-descent-into-the-maelstrom Meeting Place: Webchat: http://www.koach.com...#Readers_Corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner I will bring along a nice bottle of Amontillado (I can't afford a whole cask), and Koach is bringing brownies. I hope to see you all there.
  14. That's the biggest clock radio I have ever seen. Does it have an alarm?
  15. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on January 9, 2016 (00:30 A.M., January 10 (GMT)), for a discussion of "Amaryllis" by Carrie Vaughn. The story is one from a collection of "dystopian tales" from the anthology Brave New Worlds by edited by John Joseph Adams. In his introduction to the collection, Adams describes the dystopian genre as follows: "The roots of the word dystopia—dys-and -topia—are from the Ancient Greek for “bad” and “place,” and so we use the term to describe an unfavorable society in which to live. “Dystopia” is not a synonym for “post-apocalyptic”; it also is not a synonym for a bleak, or darkly imagined future. In a dystopian story, society itself is typically the antagonist; it is society that is actively working against the protagonist’s aims and desires. This oppression frequently is enacted by a totalitarian or authoritarian government, resulting in the loss of civil liberties and untenable living conditions..." "Amaryllis" tells a story of a fishing boat and its crew who are bound by the strict conservation laws of a future society living off the limited resources of a depleted earth. The governmental restrictions limit their productivity, a situation acerbated by an somewhat venal scale operator with a vendeta against the crew. Some of our regular chatters will be struck with what Dash might classifiy as symbolism. The Amaryllis Belladonna is a perrenial flowering plant that, much like the tulip, blooms in early Spring. The bulbs are normally sold in the US already potted in suitable containers and are marketed in time to bloom at the traditional Spring religious holidays (Easter and Passover). The blooms might be thought of as a celebration of the return of life. Without giving away too much, I will tell you that the title does reflect a certain happy resolution of the characters troubles. The story is available in html as well as all 'e-reader' formats at: http://www.baenebooks.com/10.1125/Baen/F9781597802215/F9781597802215.htm?blurb The link will take you to the author's introduction (which is very short and worth reading). Amaryllis is the first story in the anthology and can be reached by clicking on the 'next' link at the top or bottom of the page. (We have used a number of other 'free' stories posted on Baen's e-books site and are familiar with his copyright policies -- i.e. the material is free to download for educational or personal use, but may not be used for any commercial purpose.) Meeting Place: Webchat: http://www.koach.com...#Readers_Corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner I feel certain that you will like the story and that we will have a very interesting chat, I hope to see you all there. Log attached: #readers_corner.Koach.com.20160109.txt
  16. Please join us for our first #readers_corner chat of the new year at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on January 2, 2016 (00:30 A.M., January 3rd (GMT)), for a discussion of "Rubble" by Andrew Mitchell. Mitchell is a relatively new author, recently graduated from the Masters of Fine Arts Program at the University of New Hampshire. He has published stories in several little known literary magazines. "Rubble" is a recent offering of the Saturday Evening Post, and it deals with the acceptance by a boy of his mother's eccentricities. It's a well written and thought provoking work and I believe you will enjoy it. The story is available at: http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2015/10/16/post-fiction/contemporary-fiction-art-entertainment/rubble.html Meeting Place: Webchat: http://www.koach.com...#Readers_Corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner I hope to see you all there, and don't forget...bring a friend. Log Attached: #readers_corner.Koach.com.20160102.txt
  17. The trouble might be finding certified psychiatrists who are not predisposed to consider anyone believing that guns serve a legitimate purpose. I would rather settle for a thorough background check (current and past residences and job history) and passing a gun handler course as outlined above.
  18. Please Note: Because most of our American chatters will be involved in family related travel and activities during the Thanksgiving weekend, there will be no Reader's Corner chat on November 28th. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M." (EST) on December 5, 2015 (00:30 A.M., December 6, 2015 (GMT)), for a discussion of "Murder on the Hochflieger Ost" by Frank Chadwick. The story is an alternate history recounting an espionage operation in Europe during the turbulent times between the end of the Franco-Prussian War and the beginning of World War I. When is a science fiction story not a sci-fi story? Well allow me to suggest that a spy story based on historically accurate personalities and situations is such even if it does substitute a German passenger zeppelin (that did not exist until the early 20th century) for the Paris to Istanbul train (that did exist in the late 1800's). I assume that setting the action on the historically accurate train might have caused problems with the copyright holders of the various multimedia versions of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express". I think even those who do not appreciate science fiction will enjoy this one. Enjoy the story, and I hope to see you all on the first Saturday of December. The story is available at: http://www.baenebooks.com/10.1125/Baen/9781625790958/9781625790958.htm?blurb The link will take you to an index page. Click on the word "contents" at the top right corner of that first page, then click the name of the story on the next web page. Meeting Place: Webchat: http://koach.com/cha...readers_corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner You are encouraged to bring leftover pumpkin pie and egg nog to the chat. Don't forget to bring a friend. The chat scheduled for last Saturday (December 5th) was postponed and will be held at the regular time on December 12th, 2015. Details regarding the story are included in the forum entry from November 22nd. Things ganged up on us, there was a power failure in the New York area that knocked three or our regular chatters off line, several other regular members had personal commitments which prevented there attendance. The four of us who did manage to get to the chat felt that the story deserved a rescheduled discussion by a larger number of our Readers Corner members. LOG ATTACHED; readers log 12 12 2015.rtf
  19. Bookbub is pretty good, especially if you are an amazon prime member.
  20. What's frightening is that the CIA which is bad is giving that same information to the Israelis who used to be our frie nds and good but are now not friendly because we are friends with most of the arab states that are trying to wipe israel from the face of the earth. And of course in the most recent developments Putin has admitted that IS bombed a russian passenger plane and has decide to retaliate by bombing anyone he can find in the general vicinity of syria, I won't get into the French issue because whether the french are friendly or not depends on the day of the week and the current weather forecast.
  21. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on November 21, 2015 (00:30 A.M., November 22, 2015 (GMT)), for a discussion of "Coffee Date" by Josh and Laurie Pachter. Like our last story this is Saturday Evening Post offering. The story addresses the advantages and dangers of 'internet' dating, which seems an appropriate topic for discussion in #Readers_Corner. I think you will enjoy it. Josh Pachter is an established writer of mystery stories, both novels and shorter works, and a professor of English composition at Northern Virginia Community College. His wife Laurie is a writer/editor for an undisclosed government agency in the Washington, DC area. They met at a coffee date which they had scheduled through Match.com (hmmm). The story is available at: http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2015/10/09/post-fiction/contemporary-fiction-art-entertainment/coffee-date.html Meeting Place: Webchat: http://koach.com/cha...readers_corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner The story is a pleasant read and perhaps a wee bit predictable. Nevertheless, I think you will enjoy it as well as discussing it at our next chat. Hope to see you all there. Don't forget to bring a friend. LOG ATTACHED: readers_corner 20151121.txt
  22. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on November 14, 2015 (00:30 A.M., November 15, 2015 (GMT)), for a discussion of "Omeer's Mangos" by N. West Moss. The story is the winner of the 2015 Saturday Evening Post short story contest. It is quite different from my recent tendency to choose fantasy, sci-fi, or mystery stories. This tale is simply a family friendly story of an immigrant and his life in New York York City. I won't say any more about it other than that I think you will like it. The story is available at: http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2014/12/29/post-fiction/contemporary-fiction-art-entertainment/omeers-mangoes.html Meeting Place: Webchat: http://koach.com/chatlogin.php?chan=readers_corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner I hope to see you all there, and don't forget...bring a friend. Log attached: Readers log 14Nov15.txt
  23. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EST) on November 7th, 2015 (00:30 A.M., October 25th (GMT)), for a discussion of "Its All True" by John Kessel. We have discussed two of Kessel's stories "Buffalo" and "Every Angel is Terrifying" in the recent past. This one is more typical of Kessel's usual sci-fi offering in that it deals with time travel. It does so, however, in a very novel way which, I believe, will appeal to readers not normally fond of science fiction or fantasy tales. The tale falls somewhere between the time travel paradox type story and the alternate history story. I think you will all enjoy it. I am certain we will all enjoy discussing it. The story is available at: http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/9781618249326/9781618249326__19.htm Meeting Place: Webchat: http://www.koach.com/chatlogin.php?chan=%23Readers_Corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner Please pass the word to any other chatters who you feel might be interested in attending the chat. I hope to see you all there, and don't forget...bring a friend. LOG ATTACHED: rc log 07Nov15.txt
  24. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EDST) on Halloween, October 31st, 2015 (00:30 A.M. (GMT) November 1st), for a discussion of The Fiddler of Bayou Teche by Delia Sherman. Sherman is a prolific and respected author of "young adult" novels and stories, most of them in the fantasy genre. This story, suggested by Stormy, as one appropriate for Halloween has just about everything one could want in a horror story: were-wolves, a swamp witch, a satanic fiddle, a spooky Louisiana Bayou, and a ghost like apparition. Needless to say its wealth of spooky cliche's provides a level of camp humor probably more appreciated by more mature adults than the fans of more current pop culture shows like "Twilight" and "Moonlight". The story, set in back woods Cajun country along Bayou Teche (the largest bayou in central Louisiana and, until the invention of the automobile the major transportation route into the interior of the state. The tale is written in the first person by a young cajun girl writing in the patois of the area and rich in the regional voodoo superstitions. I think you will enjoy it. The story is available on line at: http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/the-fiddler-of-bayou-teche/ Meeting Place: Webchat: http://koach.com/cha...=readers_corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner Don't forget to bring a friend. I'll bring a tray of virtual beignets and an urn of digital chicory to help us get in the mood. Log Attached: #readers_corne 20151031.txt
  25. Please join us for our next chat in #readers_corner at 8:30 P.M. (EDST) on October 24, 2015 (00:30 A.M., October 25th (GMT)), for a discussion of "Every Angel Is Terrifying" by John Kessel. We discussed Kessel's story "Buffalo" two weeks ago, and participants felt that it would be worthwhile to have a look at another of his works. While researching hi stories I stumbled on this one which, in his own words, he describes as a sequel to Mary Flannery O'Conor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find". We found the O'Connor story well written and worthwhile but an unpleasant read because of its less than happy ending. The "sequel" written some 50 years after the original by an author with a completely different style is much less dark. I think you will enjoy reading it as well as discussing it. Don't miss Kessel's afterword to the story, on the page following the end of the work. The story is available at: http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/9781618249326/9781618249326___6.htm Meeting Place: Webchat: http://www.koach.com...#Readers_Corner mIRC Users: /server -m chat3.koach.com:6667 -j #readers_corner I hope to see you all there, and don't forget...bring a friend. Log attached: 20151010 log.txt
×
×
  • Create New...