Just found this.

http://www.dailynews724.com/entertai...ls-h93143.html

From the first half:

....So the she rides her bike up and down the block, carrying on an
internal conversation with her imaginary friend Laura Ingalls who has come
to the 1970s from the 1870s to visit and see the future. And our little
girl is explaining something about the t-shirt to Laura Ingalls right
now, so let's hop into the Foodiness Time Machine and drop in and listen:

"Well Laura, girls today don't have to wear long calico dresses and
bonnets, we can wear fake printed denim complete with fake patches and
sneakers from a discount store and t-shirts. What's a t-shirt? It's
what I'm wearing. What do the words on it mean? Well Laura, this
t-shirt is printed with the three most important, defining words of
late '70s America. No, not impeach Richard Nixon, no, not Sex, Drugs
and Rock and Roll, anyway that's four, no this shirt says 'Leggo my Eggo.'
What's an Eggo? Oh Laura, you guys from 100 years ago are really
primitive. An Eggo is a waffle! From the freezer! It's like the root
cellar but a lot colder. And no, my Ma doesn't make waffles in a cast
iron waffle maker over the cookstove like yours... this is the future,
we pull them out of the freezer and cook them in the toaster! And then
we pour flavored, colored corn syrup all over them and eat them before
school! And if someone tries to grab your toasted waffle out of your
sticky paw, you shout 'Leggo My Eggo!' And the Eggo people will send
you this very t-shirt for only 3 box-tops and 50 cents! And its mine!
All mine! And I love it!"


Later on:

....I don't even really get the idea of eating pancakes or waffles,
since they're basically just cake. I mean, what's cake? Flour, butter,
eggs, sugar, baking powder, milk. Pancakes? Same. Waffles? Same. If you
were a farmer or a field hand, a lumberjack or a cowboy, a blacksmith
or a maple sugar guy, or even Amish, I'd get the need for a 1,000 calorie
pile of flour and sugar for breakfast. You had work to do. But we
consultants and social media analysts and insurance salesmen and radio
hosts, not so much...

(snip)



Lenona.

wrote:
> Just found this.
>
> http://www.dailynews724.com/entertai...ls-h93143.html
>
> From the first half:
>
> ...So the she rides her bike up and down the block, carrying on an
> internal conversation with her imaginary friend Laura Ingalls who has come
> to the 1970s from the 1870s to visit and see the future. And our little
> girl is explaining something about the t-shirt to Laura Ingalls right
> now, so let's hop into the Foodiness Time Machine and drop in and listen:
>
> "Well Laura, girls today don't have to wear long calico dresses and
> bonnets, we can wear fake printed denim complete with fake patches and
> sneakers from a discount store and t-shirts. What's a t-shirt? It's
> what I'm wearing. What do the words on it mean? Well Laura, this
> t-shirt is printed with the three most important, defining words of
> late '70s America. No, not impeach Richard Nixon, no, not Sex, Drugs
> and Rock and Roll, anyway that's four, no this shirt says 'Leggo my Eggo.'
> What's an Eggo? Oh Laura, you guys from 100 years ago are really
> primitive. An Eggo is a waffle! From the freezer! It's like the root
> cellar but a lot colder. And no, my Ma doesn't make waffles in a cast
> iron waffle maker over the cookstove like yours... this is the future,
> we pull them out of the freezer and cook them in the toaster! And then
> we pour flavored, colored corn syrup all over them and eat them before
> school! And if someone tries to grab your toasted waffle out of your
> sticky paw, you shout 'Leggo My Eggo!' And the Eggo people will send
> you this very t-shirt for only 3 box-tops and 50 cents! And its mine!
> All mine! And I love it!"

if I were a voting member, I would vote for more of this and less of
which birds fly where

not sure how I'd vote on Bryan's literary efforts but at least it
has some entertainment value


> Later on:
>
> ...I don't even really get the idea of eating pancakes or waffles,
> since they're basically just cake. I mean, what's cake? Flour, butter,
> eggs, sugar, baking powder, milk. Pancakes? Same. Waffles? Same. If you
> were a farmer or a field hand, a lumberjack or a cowboy, a blacksmith
> or a maple sugar guy, or even Amish, I'd get the need for a 1,000 calorie
> pile of flour and sugar for breakfast. You had work to do. But we
> consultants and social media analysts and insurance salesmen and radio
> hosts, not so much...
>
> (snip)
>
>
>
> Lenona.


I side with the anti pancake/waffle group. I would rather have eggs
benedict, or a bagel ... or any number of things actually.

On 1/21/2015 6:00 PM, tert in seattle wrote:
> wrote:
>> Just found this.
>>
>> http://www.dailynews724.com/entertai...ls-h93143.html
>>
>> From the first half:
>>
>> ...So the she rides her bike up and down the block, carrying on an
>> internal conversation with her imaginary friend Laura Ingalls who has come
>> to the 1970s from the 1870s to visit and see the future. And our little
>> girl is explaining something about the t-shirt to Laura Ingalls right
>> now, so let's hop into the Foodiness Time Machine and drop in and listen:
>>
>> "Well Laura, girls today don't have to wear long calico dresses and
>> bonnets, we can wear fake printed denim complete with fake patches and
>> sneakers from a discount store and t-shirts. What's a t-shirt? It's
>> what I'm wearing. What do the words on it mean? Well Laura, this
>> t-shirt is printed with the three most important, defining words of
>> late '70s America. No, not impeach Richard Nixon, no, not Sex, Drugs
>> and Rock and Roll, anyway that's four, no this shirt says 'Leggo my Eggo.'
>> What's an Eggo? Oh Laura, you guys from 100 years ago are really
>> primitive. An Eggo is a waffle! From the freezer! It's like the root
>> cellar but a lot colder. And no, my Ma doesn't make waffles in a cast
>> iron waffle maker over the cookstove like yours... this is the future,
>> we pull them out of the freezer and cook them in the toaster! And then
>> we pour flavored, colored corn syrup all over them and eat them before
>> school! And if someone tries to grab your toasted waffle out of your
>> sticky paw, you shout 'Leggo My Eggo!' And the Eggo people will send
>> you this very t-shirt for only 3 box-tops and 50 cents! And its mine!
>> All mine! And I love it!"
>
> if I were a voting member, I would vote for more of this and less of
> which birds fly where
>
> not sure how I'd vote on Bryan's literary efforts but at least it
> has some entertainment value
>
>
>> Later on:
>>
>> ...I don't even really get the idea of eating pancakes or waffles,
>> since they're basically just cake. I mean, what's cake? Flour, butter,
>> eggs, sugar, baking powder, milk. Pancakes? Same. Waffles? Same. If you
>> were a farmer or a field hand, a lumberjack or a cowboy, a blacksmith
>> or a maple sugar guy, or even Amish, I'd get the need for a 1,000 calorie
>> pile of flour and sugar for breakfast. You had work to do. But we
>> consultants and social media analysts and insurance salesmen and radio
>> hosts, not so much...
>>
>> (snip)
>>
>>
>>
>> Lenona.
>
>
> I side with the anti pancake/waffle group. I would rather have eggs
> benedict, or a bagel ... or any number of things actually.

My preference, as far as breakfast pastries, would be crumpets or
bagels, but sometimes, you just want a Belgian waffle. Lucky for me, I
do not want them very often.

I made pancakes, waffles, cinnamon rolls and sopapillas fairly often
when my children were teenagers, they were skinny kids and I tried to
put some meat on their bones, but as it turns out, they are just thin.

Becca

On Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 6:10:04 PM UTC-6, tert in seattle wrote:
>
>
> not sure how I'd vote on Bryan's literary efforts but at least it
> has some entertainment value
>
>
Did you read Winter's Present? Interestingly, another woman in Seattle
gave it a 1-star review, stating that it was "one of the worst books I've
ever read." I imagine that many folks would feel that way if they read it.

I've taken to advising folks to give it what I call the Mac Arthur's Park
test. Anyone who thinks that MacArthur Park is a beautiful song that
could almost move the person to tears really should read Winter. Likewise,
anyone who thinks that MacArthur Park is so completely awful, that it's
actually good in a twisted way should read it. Everyone else (the majority
of folks) might want to pass on it, though it does have some humor that is
independent of liking the story.

It is free one last time, from midnight to midnight PST on Valentine's Day.

http://www.amazon.com/Winters-Presen.../dp/B00QJPEI6M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRwYQgk05DY

--Bryan

Bryan-TGWWW wrote:
> On Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 6:10:04 PM UTC-6, tert in seattle wrote:
>>
>>
>> not sure how I'd vote on Bryan's literary efforts but at least it
>> has some entertainment value
>>
>>
> Did you read Winter's Present? Interestingly, another woman in Seattle
> gave it a 1-star review, stating that it was "one of the worst books I've
> ever read." I imagine that many folks would feel that way if they read it.

no, sorry, it is a little far down on my reading list

> I've taken to advising folks to give it what I call the Mac Arthur's Park
> test. Anyone who thinks that MacArthur Park is a beautiful song that
> could almost move the person to tears really should read Winter. Likewise,
> anyone who thinks that MacArthur Park is so completely awful, that it's
> actually good in a twisted way should read it. Everyone else (the majority
> of folks) might want to pass on it, though it does have some humor that is
> independent of liking the story.
>
> It is free one last time, from midnight to midnight PST on Valentine's Day.
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Winters-Presen.../dp/B00QJPEI6M
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRwYQgk05DY
>
> --Bryan

okay I found this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUPSilcJFrQ

and all I can think is, WHAT THE HELL

not sure where that puts me on your scale

but I will make a mental note of the free offer

On Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 8:40:04 PM UTC-6, tert in seattle wrote:
> Bryan-TGWWW wrote:
>
> >
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRwYQgk05DY
> >
> > --Bryan
>
> okay I found this
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUPSilcJFrQ
>
> and all I can think is, WHAT THE HELL
>
MY GOD! Did you notice that the singer was wearing "a striped pair of pants"?
>
--Bryan

Bryan-TGWWW wrote:
> On Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 8:40:04 PM UTC-6, tert in seattle wrote:
>> Bryan-TGWWW wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRwYQgk05DY
>> >
>> > --Bryan
>>
>> okay I found this
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUPSilcJFrQ
>>
>> and all I can think is, WHAT THE HELL
>>
> MY GOD! Did you notice that the singer was wearing "a striped pair of pants"?

I did - he's a pretty snappy dresser

I also noticed that every member of the orchestra looked embarrassed

On Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 1:25:52 PM UTC-6, Bruce wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Jan 2015 10:51:22 -0800 (PST), Bryan-TGWWW
> > wrote:
>
> >On Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 6:10:04 PM UTC-6, tert in seattle wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> not sure how I'd vote on Bryan's literary efforts but at least it
> >> has some entertainment value
> >>
> >>
> >Did you read Winter's Present? Interestingly, another woman in Seattle
> >gave it a 1-star review, stating that it was "one of the worst books I've
> >ever read." I imagine that many folks would feel that way if they read it.
> >
> >I've taken to advising folks to give it what I call the Mac Arthur's Park
> >test. Anyone who thinks that MacArthur Park is a beautiful song that
> >could almost move the person to tears really should read Winter. Likewise,
> >anyone who thinks that MacArthur Park is so completely awful, that it's
> >actually good in a twisted way should read it. Everyone else (the majority
> >of folks) might want to pass on it, though it does have some humor that is
> >independent of liking the story.
> >
> >It is free one last time, from midnight to midnight PST on Valentine's Day.
> >
> >http://www.amazon.com/Winters-Presen.../dp/B00QJPEI6M
> >
> >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRwYQgk05DY
>
> I haven't read your book, so I'm not commenting in any way, but who
> did you bribe to write that other review? Or did the Amazon
> Marketing Team do that?
>
I didn't bribe anyone. The guy's wife is someone I gave a free advance
copy to, and although he gave it 5 stars, I found the review more
insulting than the negative one. To suggest that my book is in any way
like 50... is no compliment, and he would certainly know that. I think
that it was a backhanded slap that was payback for me essentially calling
the guy a racist over comments he made about the Ferguson protesters.

Listen, if I had wanted to plant fake positive reviews, I would have, and
could have done so. I find it strange that of the well over a hundred
folks who downloaded the book on the free days, that there have been only
those 2 reviews. I suspect that there are folks who just download every
free book that pops up, and read almost none of them.

Oh, and my MacArthur Park thing was basically directed toward women. I
suspect that few men would read it. Certainly, any man's man, any guy who
likes movies with car chases and explosions, and who, if they'd been dragged
by the wife/GF to see The Fault In Our Stars, and would rather have a root
canal than sit through that again would hate it. You'd almost have to the
kind of guy who finds bubblegum pop truly meaningful.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubblegum_pop

It is funny though, and unlike a rom-com movie, you can just flip past all
the sweet lovey-dovey stuff, and just enjoy the humor, which I suspect is
what some of the British readers are doing. As of a few days ago, I have
sold more *paid* copies in GBPs than in UDSs, and I can only think that it
has to do with the style of humor.

It *is* zero risk to download it of V-Day, when it's free.
>
> --
> Bruce

--Bryan

On Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 3:21:33 PM UTC-5, Bryan-TGWWW wrote:

> likes movies with car chases and explosions, and who, if they'd been dragged
> by the wife/GF to see The Fault In Our Stars, and would rather have a root
> canal than sit through that again would hate it.


I borrowed the DVD out of curiosity, some weeks ago.

I have to say, I don't think I've ever been attracted to characters who
were more angelic than myself. By contrast, a little healthy sense of
cynicism can be very attractive indeed, so long as it's not used as an
excuse to be rude or surly. (Besides, I didn't find that business with
the cigarettes to be at all cute - and the vandalism scene may have been
meant to make him seem more "real," but I hated the scene for all the
reasons anyone might.)

But, years ago as a teen, I certainly often loved famous men in the
movies with boyish faces, though every one of them was older than I
was. Sometimes a lot older.

And here are some interesting comments about "perfect" young men in
movies (the other movies were Twilight and The Hunger Games):

http://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2014/02...inglepage=true

jmarie
"As the mom of two teenaged boys I have to say you'd be surprised
at how many of them can pull off the movie star swagger when they're
motivated by the right girl."

rrpjr
"Nevermind the girls for a moment (I know that's hard in our
feminized society) -- do these characters provide good role
models for boys and young men? Doesn't this matter?"

Faceless Commenter
"I'm not sure what the point of this column is, perhaps because my
sarcasm meter is broken? What I'm getting is some sort of complaint
that movies are glorifying teen boys who are nonpareils of manners, accomplishment, and selflessness. Surely that's sarcasm?"


Lenona.

On Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 3:21:33 PM UTC-5, Bryan-TGWWW wrote:

Certainly, any man's man, any guy who
> likes movies with car chases and explosions, and who, if they'd been dragged
> by the wife/GF to see The Fault In Our Stars, and would rather have a root
> canal than sit through that again would hate it.



I would hate to try to diagram that sentence. Kind of fractured, huh? IF that's the style of your book...........AAAGGH.

On 24/01/2015 7:54 AM, Kalmia wrote:
> On Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 3:21:33 PM UTC-5, Bryan-TGWWW wrote:
>
> Certainly, any man's man, any guy who
>> likes movies with car chases and explosions, and who, if they'd been dragged
>> by the wife/GF to see The Fault In Our Stars, and would rather have a root
>> canal than sit through that again would hate it.
>
>
>
> I would hate to try to diagram that sentence. Kind of fractured, huh? IF that's the style of your book...........AAAGGH.
>
I must admit, I would find myself tripping over the fractured grammar
and thus be unable to get immersed in the storyline. I do tutoring for
PhD students and I always get them to break up convoluted sentences like
that. I feel that writers must set standards.

--

Xeno.

On 1/23/2015 2:54 PM, Kalmia wrote:
> On Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 3:21:33 PM UTC-5, Bryan-TGWWW wrote:
>
> Certainly, any man's man, any guy who
>> likes movies with car chases and explosions, and who, if they'd been dragged
>> by the wife/GF to see The Fault In Our Stars, and would rather have a root
>> canal than sit through that again would hate it.
>
>
>
> I would hate to try to diagram that sentence. Kind of fractured, huh? IF that's the style of your book...........AAAGGH.
>
The punctuation could be better, but I like his writing style.

Writing is an art and art is subjective. 'nuff said.

--
From somewhere very deep in the heart of Texas

On Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 5:05:52 PM UTC-6, Bruce wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Jan 2015 12:21:29 -0800 (PST), Bryan-TGWWW
> > wrote:
>
> >On Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 1:25:52 PM UTC-6, Bruce wrote:
> >> On Thu, 22 Jan 2015 10:51:22 -0800 (PST), Bryan-TGWWW
> >> > wrote:
> >>
> >> >On Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 6:10:04 PM UTC-6, tert in seattle wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> not sure how I'd vote on Bryan's literary efforts but at least it
> >> >> has some entertainment value
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >Did you read Winter's Present? Interestingly, another woman in Seattle
> >> >gave it a 1-star review, stating that it was "one of the worst books I've
> >> >ever read." I imagine that many folks would feel that way if they read it.
> >> >
> >> >I've taken to advising folks to give it what I call the Mac Arthur's Park
> >> >test. Anyone who thinks that MacArthur Park is a beautiful song that
> >> >could almost move the person to tears really should read Winter. Likewise,
> >> >anyone who thinks that MacArthur Park is so completely awful, that it's
> >> >actually good in a twisted way should read it. Everyone else (the majority
> >> >of folks) might want to pass on it, though it does have some humor that is
> >> >independent of liking the story.
> >> >
> >> >It is free one last time, from midnight to midnight PST on Valentine's Day.
> >> >
> >> >http://www.amazon.com/Winters-Presen.../dp/B00QJPEI6M
> >> >
> >> >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRwYQgk05DY
> >>
> >> I haven't read your book, so I'm not commenting in any way, but who
> >> did you bribe to write that other review? Or did the Amazon
> >> Marketing Team do that?
> >>
> >I didn't bribe anyone. The guy's wife is someone I gave a free advance
> >copy to, and although he gave it 5 stars, I found the review more
> >insulting than the negative one. To suggest that my book is in any way
> >like 50... is no compliment, and he would certainly know that. I think
> >that it was a backhanded slap that was payback for me essentially calling
> >the guy a racist over comments he made about the Ferguson protesters.
>
> No matter how bad 50 Shades is, it sold like hotcakes, so that
> comparison might be a good marketing idea.
>
People who are almost certain not to like it would download it on the free
day, expecting that sort of thing, and they'd be irritated, instead of just
thinking, "This isn't my cup of tea."

Whereas if people read it expecting a romantic love story, and don't
appreciate the humor, or the sexuality, those are just taste things. The
one thing that I am confident that I do deliver is a love story.

The popular book that I'd be thrilled for anyone to mention is The Fault
In Our Stars, even if someone wrote that my book sucked way, way worse than that one, and there are plenty of folks who disliked TFIOS. The negative, 1*
review--and I do believe that it was by a real person who truly disliked the
book--was worthless because it didn't inform anyone. There are dozens of
reasons to dislike my book. She could have spelled them out, which would
have discouraged folks who *should* be discouraged from choosing the book, or
at least paying for it.

I have no idea what that person disliked, but let me pretend that I disliked
a bunch of things about it.

1. It is overly sentimental.
2. Ian is lecherous, and his hypersexuality is a total turnoff.
3. Ann is a needy crybaby who takes advantage of Winter's devotion.
4. What Ann does to her parents is unforgivable, and ruins the entire story.
5. There are too many obscure allusions to literature, music and other
art forms.
6. The writing is amateurish, some scenes are choppy, and the transitions
between scenes don't always work.
7. Winter's parents are unrealistic.
8. Ann's parents are also unrealistic, even more so, and are caricatures of
conservative Christians.
9. The very idea of a three person marriage is offensive.
10. Leaving a central question unresolved at the end of the book is
infuriating, and seems like a cheap device to sell the next book in the series.
11. Winter is not flawed enough, and her intelligence is overblown.
12. The only sex scene that amounts to anything is between one male and two
females.

That's the first dozen.

Buying it is free on V Day, and perhaps you could read it, Bruce. If you
choose to review it, be honest. I don't need your money, and I don't want
false praise.
>
> >Listen, if I had wanted to plant fake positive reviews, I would have, and
> >could have done so. I find it strange that of the well over a hundred
> >folks who downloaded the book on the free days, that there have been only
> >those 2 reviews. I suspect that there are folks who just download every
> >free book that pops up, and read almost none of them.
>
> Buying a book is one thing, reading it is another, reviewing it is...
> I dunno... dedication?
>
> (...)
>
> --
> Bruce

--Bryan