Comments for Two Books a Week http://2booksaweek.com one page at a time Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:16:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Comment on About by KC http://2booksaweek.com/about/comment-page-1/#comment-4834 KC Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:16:26 +0000 http://2booksaweek.com//?page_id=2#comment-4834 I love your blog and I truly enjoy reading all of your book reviews. Thanks to your site, I now added 4 more new books to my reading list for this year. Keep up your great work! It's very inspiring! I love your blog and I truly enjoy reading all of your book reviews. Thanks to your site, I now added 4 more new books to my reading list for this year. Keep up your great work! It’s very inspiring!

]]> Comment on There’s Glitter in Her Eye! – If Your Kid Eats This Book #2 by Lara Zibners http://2booksaweek.com/2011/10/15/if-your-kid-eats-this-book-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4739 Lara Zibners Sun, 16 Oct 2011 12:45:25 +0000 http://2booksaweek.com/?p=2081#comment-4739 Hi! Thanks for the read. I agree, glitter is actually worse than getting an invitation and opening the envelope only to find 150 tiny little stars or whatever dump out onto the floor. By the way, the little tubes that run from the inner corner of your eye into your nose (nasolacrimal ducts) would explain the nasty tasting drops. Although that did briefly catch me off guard. :-) Hi! Thanks for the read. I agree, glitter is actually worse than getting an invitation and opening the envelope only to find 150 tiny little stars or whatever dump out onto the floor. By the way, the little tubes that run from the inner corner of your eye into your nose (nasolacrimal ducts) would explain the nasty tasting drops. Although that did briefly catch me off guard. :-)

]]> Comment on Lonely Books – Poser #2 by Christopher http://2booksaweek.com/2011/10/03/poser-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4634 Christopher Tue, 04 Oct 2011 05:39:22 +0000 http://2booksaweek.com/?p=2027#comment-4634 oh, man. i'm stoked to say that i own a couple hundred books and have read most of them, but here's a list of tomes i haven't cracked. "underworld" by don delillo: i loved "white noise" and "libra," and "underworld is my brother's favorite novel. but i just can't get into it. i'm a crappy postmodernist. "anna karenina," leo tolstoy: it's on the bucket list. but i suspect it'll be there for a while. sigh. "iliad" and "odyssey": back in second grade, i really got into greek mythology. i came home from school one day and asked my mom, "have you ever read the iliad or the odyssey?" when she replied "um, no," i said "god, i hope that when i get to be your age *i'll* have read them!" joke's on me, mom. (in my defense, the iliad kind of sucks.) "infinite jest" by david foster wallace: i started reading this last summer and made a dent in it, but was distracted by things like accordion and sex and the gym and riding my bike and the limitless joy of a free summer in the bay area. but it was pretty funny, so i'll probably try again at some point before the year's out. oh, man. i’m stoked to say that i own a couple hundred books and have read most of them, but here’s a list of tomes i haven’t cracked.

“underworld” by don delillo: i loved “white noise” and “libra,” and “underworld is my brother’s favorite novel. but i just can’t get into it. i’m a crappy postmodernist.

“anna karenina,” leo tolstoy: it’s on the bucket list. but i suspect it’ll be there for a while. sigh.

“iliad” and “odyssey”: back in second grade, i really got into greek mythology. i came home from school one day and asked my mom, “have you ever read the iliad or the odyssey?” when she replied “um, no,” i said “god, i hope that when i get to be your age *i’ll* have read them!” joke’s on me, mom. (in my defense, the iliad kind of sucks.)

“infinite jest” by david foster wallace: i started reading this last summer and made a dent in it, but was distracted by things like accordion and sex and the gym and riding my bike and the limitless joy of a free summer in the bay area. but it was pretty funny, so i’ll probably try again at some point before the year’s out.

]]> Comment on Cinderella Ate my Daughter, by Peggy Orenstein #1 by jamie http://2booksaweek.com/2011/05/23/cinderella-ate-my-daughter-1/comment-page-1/#comment-3284 jamie Thu, 26 May 2011 16:54:31 +0000 http://2booksaweek.com/?p=1836#comment-3284 My sister and I grew up on Disney, and we take our kids to Disneyland. I think parental influence counts to some degree, but peer influences usually matter more. I am trying to inoculate my daughter as much as possible not only with critical thinking skills, but with plenty of opportunities to make her own decisions. Thanks for the links. I'll have to listen. My sister and I grew up on Disney, and we take our kids to Disneyland. I think parental influence counts to some degree, but peer influences usually matter more. I am trying to inoculate my daughter as much as possible not only with critical thinking skills, but with plenty of opportunities to make her own decisions. Thanks for the links. I’ll have to listen.

]]> Comment on Cinderella Ate my Daughter, by Peggy Orenstein #1 by Michelle http://2booksaweek.com/2011/05/23/cinderella-ate-my-daughter-1/comment-page-1/#comment-3275 Michelle Wed, 25 May 2011 17:50:17 +0000 http://2booksaweek.com/?p=1836#comment-3275 The topic is particularly interesting to me because of where I work. After lots of thinking and talking with my colleagues about their experiences, especially with their daughters, I think parental influence is much stronger than cartoons and movies. I know feminists (myself included) who grew up on Disney but don't live their lives as stereotypes. (I can't stand the color pink and never wanted a fairytale wedding.) If you teach your daughter critical thinking and discuss why the characters display stereotypes (maybe when she's a little older), I don't see any harm in showing her those films. Maybe I'm being idealistic because I'm not a mother, though. I listened to a podcast that discussed this issue recently that discussed some studies that suggest that little girls aren't necessarily as influenced by those movies as we might think. http://podcasts.howstuffworks.com/hsw/podcasts/smnty/2009-12-14-smnty-disney-princesses.mp3?_kip_ipx=1396594592-1306345208 Transcript here: http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/transcript/are-disney-princesses-good-role-models/ (I recommend the podcast in general -- it's interesting.) The topic is particularly interesting to me because of where I work. After lots of thinking and talking with my colleagues about their experiences, especially with their daughters, I think parental influence is much stronger than cartoons and movies. I know feminists (myself included) who grew up on Disney but don’t live their lives as stereotypes. (I can’t stand the color pink and never wanted a fairytale wedding.) If you teach your daughter critical thinking and discuss why the characters display stereotypes (maybe when she’s a little older), I don’t see any harm in showing her those films. Maybe I’m being idealistic because I’m not a mother, though.

I listened to a podcast that discussed this issue recently that discussed some studies that suggest that little girls aren’t necessarily as influenced by those movies as we might think.
http://podcasts.howstuffworks.com/hsw/podcasts/smnty/2009-12-14-smnty-disney-princesses.mp3?_kip_ipx=1396594592-1306345208
Transcript here:
http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/transcript/are-disney-princesses-good-role-models/
(I recommend the podcast in general — it’s interesting.)

]]> Comment on Junk Food is Cheap Food – The Omnivore’s Dilemma #3 by Vegetable Storage http://2booksaweek.com/2010/05/19/the-omnivores-dilemma-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1709 Vegetable Storage Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:58:25 +0000 http://2booksaweek.com/?p=1237#comment-1709 you can always buy cheap foods on any supermarket these days because food production is mechanized already `;: you can always buy cheap foods on any supermarket these days because food production is mechanized already `;:

]]> Comment on My Favorite Subject is Recess – A Nation of Wimps #3 by Zoe Blessing http://2booksaweek.com/2010/10/22/a-nation-of-wimps-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1515 Zoe Blessing Fri, 29 Oct 2010 22:10:34 +0000 http://2booksaweek.com/?p=1484#comment-1515 Regarding the alleviation of ADHD symptoms, dogs are the same way! Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer) sums up that the majority of dog behavioral problems is lack of exercise (discipline is another biggie, but not relevant to this discussion). They have too much pent up energy, and with no avenue of release, it gets transformed into behavioral issues. Like with kids, some dogs naturally have more energy than others. If you tire them out with exercise and play, then there are fewer issues. Regarding the alleviation of ADHD symptoms, dogs are the same way! Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer) sums up that the majority of dog behavioral problems is lack of exercise (discipline is another biggie, but not relevant to this discussion). They have too much pent up energy, and with no avenue of release, it gets transformed into behavioral issues. Like with kids, some dogs naturally have more energy than others. If you tire them out with exercise and play, then there are fewer issues.

]]> Comment on Cell Phones Can Cause Depression? – A Nation of Wimps #5 by Zoe Blessing http://2booksaweek.com/2010/10/26/a-nation-of-wimps-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1514 Zoe Blessing Fri, 29 Oct 2010 22:00:30 +0000 http://2booksaweek.com/?p=1494#comment-1514 Huh... I did not know this! It makes me happy to know we can grow new brain cells. And exercise stimulates this? I had no idea about that either. Yet another reason I should try to get off my butt more often. Huh… I did not know this! It makes me happy to know we can grow new brain cells. And exercise stimulates this? I had no idea about that either. Yet another reason I should try to get off my butt more often.

]]> Comment on Teach Mommy How to Answer the Phone, Baby Girl – A Nation of Wimps #6 by Zoe Blessing http://2booksaweek.com/2010/10/29/a-nation-of-wimps-6/comment-page-1/#comment-1513 Zoe Blessing Fri, 29 Oct 2010 21:49:56 +0000 http://2booksaweek.com/?p=1498#comment-1513 Regarding the learning of CSS, it's not easy! HTML is definitely easier to pick up, but CSS has so many more nuances to it, so many more components. You're unlikely pick it up in a few hours. Before CSS, there was just HTML, and I had mastered it. I was an expert. Then CSS came along, revolutionizing the way people code websites. I was resistant, not because I was afraid of it, but because what I knew worked perfectly fine for me. Why should I change the way I do things? My stubborn streak didn't help either. I'm inclined to believe that one's reluctance about technology is a matter of personality. I tend to keep my computer, cell phone, MP3 Player, or whatever technology for years and years because "it still works for me". However there are others who have to upgrade every two years or more because they want the latest and greatest. Anyway, back to my original reason for posting, don't feel bad about screwing up your stylesheet. It's literally taken me years to master CSS. Regarding the learning of CSS, it’s not easy! HTML is definitely easier to pick up, but CSS has so many more nuances to it, so many more components. You’re unlikely pick it up in a few hours.

Before CSS, there was just HTML, and I had mastered it. I was an expert. Then CSS came along, revolutionizing the way people code websites. I was resistant, not because I was afraid of it, but because what I knew worked perfectly fine for me. Why should I change the way I do things? My stubborn streak didn’t help either.

I’m inclined to believe that one’s reluctance about technology is a matter of personality. I tend to keep my computer, cell phone, MP3 Player, or whatever technology for years and years because “it still works for me”. However there are others who have to upgrade every two years or more because they want the latest and greatest.

Anyway, back to my original reason for posting, don’t feel bad about screwing up your stylesheet. It’s literally taken me years to master CSS.

]]> Comment on George Eliot and our Clay Brains – Proust was a Neuroscientist #2 by Two Books a Week » Cell Phones Can Cause Depression? – A Nation of Wimps #5 http://2booksaweek.com/2010/06/14/proust-was-a-neuroscientist-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1503 Two Books a Week » Cell Phones Can Cause Depression? – A Nation of Wimps #5 Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:12:45 +0000 http://2booksaweek.com/?p=1315#comment-1503 [...] when we learned that we can grow new cells in our brains? According to Marano, the chemical that facilitates this (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or [...] [...] when we learned that we can grow new cells in our brains? According to Marano, the chemical that facilitates this (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or [...]

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