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Gosh, I’ve read that book maybe 7 times.  It’s astounding, and brilliant, and amazing.  I wish I understood more of it, but some of it (such as the math theory) goes whooshing over my head. 

Debbie

Yes, the logic and math I do recall being a bit hard going at times. I really have to read that book again ... it’s been so long. (And a number of logic classes in between).

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George,

Tolkien has always been my favorite author, though I’ve read fairly widely. Science fiction and fantasy in general, though in the last few years I’ve burned out a bit on those genres and I’m reading mostly non-fiction. I was a Comparative Literature major in college, with an emphasis on Medieval/Rennassiance literature, so I’m a huge fan of Shakespeare, the Cavalier Poets, and the like. The 19th century novel (Austin, James) full of repressed aristocrats sitting in little parlours passionately not saying things bores me to tears, and the 20th century angst-ridden novel of alienation is almost as bad. I regret that it is still widely believed that the only good topic for literature is one’s personal suffering. I could list a bunch of authors if you’re interested in specifics (I keep a pretty huge, idiosyncratic, library, though sadly mostly in boxes in my garage due to space limitations).

As for music, again I’m fairly eclectic. I listen to a lot of folk music and “World” music, classic rock (late 60s to early 80s), soundtracks, some classical vocal (usually a capella madrigals/motets/Gregorian chant, that sort of thing), and even a little bit of (gasp!) country! I can’t seem to appreciate hip-hop/rap/punk/religious music (even the “Big Names” like Handel), and most pop seems pretty vacuous. The iPOD has been a revolution for me, since I was never a collector of albums and their descendants, but now I can find some Iranian vocalist (Azim Ali) or a German singing Irish and Norwegian folk songs (Kirstin Blodig) that would never show up in a record chain, as well as more mainstream stuff. WHat about you?

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Anybody like Nine Inch Nails?

There Cd came out April 17th and sounds great i think. Uniquely its a concept album. The concept has been slowly leaked through USB Pens, Flyer’s, hints to websites, etc…  The story takes place in the near future in the US. We invaded Iran and other countries trying to rid the world of terrorism, the Christian Army was a big part and the evangelicals have taken power.

The US Evangelical Government foresees a biological attack so they add a drug to all the water supplies, this drug “boosts our Health system” Making us immune, but the gov wont release what it does, everybody is just focused on surviving the attack. They attack and everyone is ok. But things are different…

People lose their sex drive, they become weary, but as long as their safe right…?  As years pass and things slowly change a friend comes to a guys house and the man notices something different about his friend, he seems sharp, aware, quick witted. he asks his friend and his friend says he has stopped drinking the water, he stopped taking it four years ago and that he has been fine…

The guys start to not drinking the water, he feels stressed out but not sure if its the disease, or just healthy. He gets his self back over a period of time.

There are also sightings of a “presence” A presence that looks strange, hard to describe really, but when one looks at it… It feels shame for all its done its whole life, and expected to be crushed right then because of it. Right before they see it they hear a loud lightening crash. very odd.

The Evangelical Military is policing its own people now ruthlessly, and non believers are disappearing…

Now theres beginning to hear a lot of speculation all over the web, about what is going on, was there a “presence”, A just cause to invade, even a Biological attack???  People begin speculating from there on.

The CD is entertaining although it takes the perspective of a Christian mostly.

Well I love to read and a lot. Actually I’m keeping a “bookdiary” since I was very young. I record the author, the title and date I finished the book. Otherwise it would be no way for me to remember the exact titles. Usually I borrow books from the library. Very few books worth rereading and even if they are it is so much knowledge out there and life is short so we have to do as much we can.
Here are few of my favorites:
J.R.R.Tolkien: The lord of the rings-The only book I can always reread

Ray Kurzweil & Terry Grossman :
Fantastic voyage

Perfectly reasonable deviations from the beaten track ( The letters of Richard P. Feynman )

Clifford A. Pickover: Strange brains and genius

Mike Mullane: Riding rockets-an excellent biography of a NASA astronaut

Anything from Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov

Movies: Not that of a movie fan lately. Maybe because of the low quality of most new movies coming out.

LOTR of course-The only movie I can always rewatch

I prefer mostly European movies. Acting still matters there.

Oh yeah I forgot anime. But no Pokemon for me.
The golden rule is the longer the series is the worst it is become. Dragonball Z is real garbage, but once it actually had a potential.