Eubie's notes

November 1, 2004 by eubie

October 31, 2004 by eubie

Books — Oct. 31

Current: “Plain heathen mischief” by Martin Clark. Writer from Virginia.

“The No. 1 Ladies Dective Agency” by Alexander McCall Smith

“Southern Fried” by Cathy Pickens. Charlotte writer

“The Nature of Midnight” by Robert Rice. This was good story. I decided to read this after reading a quick review in the Wall Street Journal, including a bit about his publisher dropping him. I think the publisher made a mistake.

“The Known World” by Edward P. Jones, through page 100

“Making a Literary Life” by Carolyn See

“Visions in Death” by J.D. Robb, through page 98

“A Battle from the Start: The Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest” by Brian Steele Wills

“The Impending Crisis: 1848-1861” by David M Potter

“Out to Canaan” by Jon Karon

“‘Co. Aytch’: a side show of the big show” by Samuel R. Watkins

Audio Books

Current: “The last stand of the tin can sailors [the extraordinary World War II story of the U.S. Navy’s finest hour]” by James D. Hornfischer

“An Hour befor Dawn” by Jimmy Carter. A much better story of growing up in the South than “All Over but the Shouting.”

“Crazy Horse” by Larry McMurtry

“Hitler’s Scientists: Science, War, and the Devil’s Act” by John Cornwell

“A Beautiful Mind” by Sylvian Nasar

“Confederates in the Attic” by Tony Horwitz

“Ultimate Punishment” by Scott Turow

“All for the Union” by Elijah Hunt Rhodes.

“Ghost soldiers [the forgotten epic story of World War II’s most dramatic mission]” by Hampton Sides

October 29, 2004 by eubie

Cahokia Mounds

Wired News: Indian Mounds Mystify Excavators. All those years in St. Louis and now I wish I’d visited.

October 29, 2004 by eubie

What makes journalists tick

Op/Ed on Yahoo News by Gerald Boyd, former NY Times managing editor: ” Most journalists are insecure. They are not born that way, but are made apprehensive by the reality that thousands and even millions of readers, viewers and listeners constantly scrutinize their work. For them, this creates a kind of torture, which they experience in performing their craft. Most believe what they present is accurate, but they live in fear of someone punching holes in it.

“Paradoxically, most journalists are arrogant. Again, they are not born that way. But arrogance takes hold because journalists have information, and information is power. They are allowed front-row seats to news events and important people, and thus they see more and know more than others. For even the most humble, this can become intoxicating.”

Also: “Finally, most journalists are driven by a sense of righteousness that means different things to different people. Some define this practice as truth-telling. Others regard it as standing up to the powerful. Still others view it as looking out for the underdog, or afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.

“In a free society, journalists are a necessary burden.”

October 29, 2004 by eubie

Waiting to vote

Charlotte libraries allow absentee balloting, and they’ve become the poll of choice for many. It’s easy to see why: several weeks of polls being open, convenient locations and Saturday and Sunday hours.

This afternoon I dropped by the one branch and it was awe-inspiring to see the long line in front of the library of those waiting to vote. There looked to be hundreds waiting for their chance to vote.

A librarian said staff have worked extra hours to let all those waiting in lines each day vote. It’s great that voting is more convenient thanks to the libraries.

October 28, 2004 by eubie