THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP discussion

In this area members can chat/post about anything NOT connected to WW2 - take a breather and have a general chat.

Folks I've opened this area thread up so you can chat about anything you like not connected to the Second World War or books on that subject. You can talk about a holiday, favourite museum, good movies, your favourite beverage - mine's red wine by the way - or anything at all as long as it’s not offensive, racist or sexist.

i'm expecting to look again and see alistair cooke
sitting there.

Better not, its my chair!

hmmm....looks familiar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw8T3x...

Very funny, nice post Nicole :)

mmm pretty much as i imagined AR...


Nicole wrote: "hmmm....looks familiar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw8T3x..."

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Very funny, nice post Nicole :)"

Haha...thanks. Classic Canadian TV at its best. Billy Van (RIP) who played the librarian also played 10 other characters in the show.

For those in the US and Canada who enjoy used book sales, here is a site that I refer to as my "weekend planner" - it is a listing by state/province of just about every library book sale, AAUW book sale, and liquidation book sale in both countries. I frequent a lot of library sales and AAUW sales, it's amazing the book deals you can find. I've been going to such sales since I was a kid. Once a year I make a book buying pilgrimage to a week long sale near Washington, DC, that often has between 500,000 and a million books, sorted by genres in two large gymnasiums! Such mega sales are held in other locales too. Little known fact about library used book sales, most of the books being sold ARE NOT library discards, but rather, donated books.

http://booksalefinder.com/

Great link, thanks for the information Ken! I am sure quite a few members here will be checking it out :)

yes a useful link.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Great link, thanks for the information Ken! I am sure quite a few members here will be checking it out :)"

Great link. Found out the main library beside my office has an ongoing book sale. Will have to check it out today.

I really like the AAUW - American Association of University Women - booksales. You can find them in most regions of the US, they usually hold annual sales that last a few days to a week, and they accept donated books for a year prior. Often you can find entire collections and personal libraries that have been donated to AAUW chapters. Every AAUW sale I have been to, has been well organized, and the books smartly sorted into genres, and often by author too. All proceeds from AAUW sales go to scholarship funds.

Ken wrote: "I really like the AAUW - American Association of University Women - booksales. You can find them in most regions of the US, they usually hold annual sales that last a few days to a week, and they a..."

Ken, it makes me very jealous indeed. Secondhand book sales are a great pleasure in life and ones of this size would be a joy to wander around for hours upon hours.

Ken wrote: "For those in the US and Canada who enjoy used book sales, here is a site that I refer to as my "weekend planner" .."

Outstanding!

Don't go crazy Mike, leave some for the rest of us!

As a kid I use to take a bus or get a lift to the Australian War Memorial nearly every weekend. It use to have massive displays of weapons, tanks and planes and some great dioramas. Things have changed over the years, more inter-active material, even a short film by Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings fame) and they have added a Tomb to the Unknown Soldier, bringing back an unidentified Australian soldier from a WW1 battlefield in France. I always take a wall along the roll of honour, every Australian who has died on active service is listed there, a very sobering experience. Here is a link:

Australian War Memorial

Went down to the coast for a day or two and enjoyed an hour sitting at this waterside cafe with a coffee and a good book:

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Went down to the coast for a day or two and enjoyed an hour sitting at this waterside cafe with a coffee and a good book:

"

i know, you were trying to get the feel
of a beach landing ...

meanwhile on the home front, i think the olympics are affecting my reading time.

Mine too Carl.

Yes, those damn Olympics sucking up all that good reading time :)

I take it most folks are enjoying the games?

Been out of touch for a bit... had jury duty last week... after four days or reporting, and two days of sitting through jury selection and questioning, I got dismissed. And yes, much time being consumed with the Olympics... and the start of NFL football with training camps amd preseason games this week... and getting my two oldest daughters ready to go off to college... have to move them both over the next two weeks, one to Boston, one to Washington, DC. Still managing to get in a few pages of reading each night though, between scratching my ankles due to the chigger bites from hiking in the woods with my dog each morning...LOL

Sounds like a busy time for you Ken, must also be hard seeing two of your children heading off into the big world.

ok ken, so your mornings were busy. what'd you
do in the afternoons?

Very funny, Carl...LOL Yes, big transition with two daughters heading to college... oldest will be in her third year at American U, middle daughter starting her freshman year at Boston U. That just leaves my youngest at home, she has three more years of high school. Oldest daughter took the train to Washington today for an internship interview but will be back tonight, and then next week I'll be moving her and her belongings back, followed a few days later with moving my other daughter to Boston. We live in a rual area, but my kids are attracted to city/urban living; they at least picked two great cities to study and live in. Looking forward to September, things will settle down a great deal.

Washington and Boston, two cities full of history as well Ken. Be nice to visit your daughters and check out all the great historical sites and good book shops :)

Just a quick note to let you know that I am away for the weekend and may not get the chance to get online. I am sure the groups moderators will take care of things while I'm away :)

Nope, as we'll be in your wine cellar :)

I'm a third of the way through this and it is a cracking read, with a number of characters with WWII links appearing (e.g. Curtis LeMay)

by Michael Dobbs

Sounds good Geevee :)

I have that one sitting on the kindle ready to go Geevee

Worth bumping up your lists chaps.

this is a fun internet radio station
(whatever device you may use). it has
music of the 40s era as well as radio
programs eg, comedy skits. they also
have news breaks with events of the war.

http://www.1940sukradio.co.uk/

Thanks for the link Carl, I'll give it a go :)

Now that is an interesting radio station, blends right in as I continue reading Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945

Sounds like a fantastic radio station tbanks for the libk Carl

Hi folks, I may be off line for a few days as I am going on a trip and unsure if I will be able to get access to the Internet. I will back Monday and hope to catch up with you all then. Be good and don't wreck the site while I'm away :)

I hope you have a good trip rick :)

Just a quick message for all those who observe and celebrate Easter - I hope everyone has a lovely Easter break and if your driving to visit family - travel safe.

Happy Easter to you too (or happy day-after Easter, since you're on the other side of the globe)!

Thanks A.L. :)

Why do I feel this was inevitable?

Amazon plans to buy social network for book fans
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/0...

This song came to mind when I read that:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEBE2L...

I hope Amazon don't mess with what I have so far experienced (in a short space of time) as a great and interesting site!

Certainly lots of GR people are concerned for how Amazon will manage the site. For me I want to retain some choice as I don't (or want to) have my reviews on Amazon although I do buy from Amazon (and other book shops). I also don't want to be trolled for giving a review of less than 4-stars.

One is big e-commerce and the other e-community and so hopefully they will maintain the divisions that make GR fun to be on and provide user choice; including allowing independents to remain and buying from other sites and using Nook, Kobo etc. I am of the view that if they do this they will have a successful site that will deliver a profit too.

I liked the clip too :)

Well given that Amazon's discussion boards have had lackluster appeal and uptake, it would appear the easiest way to build a community is to buy one out. From a positive side, I guess the GR team now no longer have to worry about finding ways to moneytise the site and fund running costs and maintenance. But as you say Geevee, here's hoping they don't start railroading participation and fair comment.

Aagh!

ok that's my initial reaction. hope
for the best. perhaps GR will be treated
as a wholly owned subsidiary.

I doubt it sadly - unlike Audible and LoveFilm this will help them cut costs. I almost got hired as a content developer for Amazon a few years ago but got a better job in the meantime. Role would have involved writing descriptions of things day in and day out - with GR you can harness the community to do the job for you...

Break out Topic:

The situation in North Korea. As this is a military history club I'm sure most of you will appreciate the seriousness with which I regard the possibility of American boots crossing the 38th parallel.

It would be a disaster of unprecedented scale - not just based on the historical premise of American involvement in the Korean peninsula, but of political and economic importance.

Beyond the juvenile belligerency and yet very real threat of the militant regime in NK the possibility of American presence in China's sphere of interests is.. troubling.

I have offered my thoughts to my friends and family that best interests served for the world: not just China, the United States, and the Koreans, would be that American boots stay in South Korea, and Chinese boots toe the line in northern Korea. Should it come to challenge of arms, the American military should restrain itself to surgical airstrikes designed to paralyze the North Korean military.

If further involvement is necessary then it is my hope that the Joint Chiefs will ( as they seem to be doing ) visit and communicate with the Chinese military to build operational rapport.

Since in the past the Chinese have expressed their dislike of joint operations with the American military it is my hope that the present circumstances will help bridge the gap of hesitancy.

Not that I am proponent of China's regime - which though have made strides, have much to make - but in the same token, the United States isn't better off i'd argue.

On a most basic level: a military tangle between the forces of the United States and China would have disastrous consequences for people all over the world.

Hi Bracken, some very good observations and comments - it is very troubling watching what is happening on the Korean peninsula and I hope cooler heads prevail.

Interesting and concerning. To some extent it reminds me of the Cold War in the early 80s with the posturing and deploying of assets and the guess work by various intelligence agencies and "experts" on what messages are being given, and what capabilities are available and in play.

North Korea has a history of posturing to show it is upset or to make a claim for more/restored aid or to rescind sanctions. Important too is they also have a new and young dictator who has an audience (military & civilian) to play to. It is also the 60th anniversary year of the armistice for the Korean war and that may also be playing a part.

I hope it's only posturing but he is taking it a tad further than his predecessor, he is a bit of a worry!