Steem Basic Income Giveaway (What are you reading? )
What are you reading?
These days I'm pretty slack at reading books. I always used to have a book in my bag that I would whip out if there was the slightest danger of social interaction. These days a phone or a Switch does the job, with headphones. Can't wait for VR, that will send the right signal!
Okay, I'm not that bad,but I really do dislike idle chattering. I'm that annoying guy that forgets to do the hugs and kisses, to ask about your dog and kids. I tend to just blurt out what was on my mind that I needed to ask....
So these are the two books that I still take around when I'm in tour.
This is a essay into the question of consciousness with mathematics and physics as the starting point. No airy fairy nonsense here!
This is a lighter read. A comic series based on the lives of exiled Fables (characters from fairy tales) that are trying to live out their lives in the mundane world after being forced out of their homelands by an unnamed enemy (the big bad!). It's a great comic, even for those that don't generally like the genre.
For an entry into this week's SBI giveaway, tell me about the book or books that you are currently reading or trying to read.
Steem Basic Income
One of the first communities that I came in contact with at the beginning of my time at Steemit was @steembasicincome. As a beginning author, Steemit can be a daunting place. It feels like you are posting into an abyss with no ability to grow. Steem Basic Income gives you a guaranteed vote on one post a day, thus giving you a small but cumulative over time support to your account.
With this post, I want to help sponsor people who might not even have the spare 1 STEEM that is required for registration. So, when this post pays out, I will sponsor people depending on the payout of this post. Basically, I will round up the SBD payout from this post and then that will be the number of people I will sponsor. (So, if the payout is 2.3 SBD, I will sponsor 3 people).
Rules
- Upvote if you want, it increases the payout and then I can hopefully sponsor more people.
- Resteem is NOT neccessary, but the more people see this, the more the people will be likely to be sponsored. 3. I'll let everyone know at payout!
- In the comments, tell me what book or books you are reading!
- I will be sponsoring as many people as this post pays out in SBD. Also I will kick in at least the required amount to round up to the full number. Winner is at my discretion!
Last week's winners
Last post payout was 1.987 SBD. So, 2 shares that I will be sponsoring. Screw it, it's close enough. I'll do 3.
When i was young i helped my mother quite frequently when she was cleaning the house even though i wasnt really helpful at that age :D Anyways she told me that those dishwasher tabs are so toxic that even just touching them could poison you bad. In retrospect i know that she just tried to scare me so wouldnt accidentally swallow the tab or put the finger which touched the tab in my mouth but i somehow never questioned it until a few years back when i asked myself why i always tried to have the least possible contact with it
I thought that my pokemon games back then were connected to the internet or some other network because i kept discovering new pokemon and was convinced that they werent in the game before :D Most of the time i even just read about them in a megazine so i kind of get why i came to the conclusion even though it seems just stupid today
I've always been absent-minded. When it came time that everyone around me learned to drive, I refused. I was certain I did not belong on the road because I was so absent-minded. Then I moved to the suburbs. I continued to refuse--for about a year. Getting around was tortuous, so I finally relented. I went through a bunch of fender benders, but eventually learned to pay attention. Now, I'm a great driver. I also don't lose my keys anymore.
I traveled to Spain as a young, single woman. My Spanish was poor, but I was an eager learner. As I went about my travels in conservative Andalucia, I apologized for my poor Spanish by saying, "Estoy embarazada". I thought I was saying, "I'm embarrassed". What I was actually saying was, "I'm pregnant". It took me weeks to discover my error.
Serious: I was doing a rotation in the neonatal intensive care unit (for premature babies) and one of the babies I was taking care of was a withdrawal baby. The mother was a chronic opioid abuser and was admittedly taking pain medications during pregnancy and was still abusing drugs. I thought for sure because of the fact that the pain medications could cross the breast milk it would be a bad idea to let the mom breastfeed. However, I was in fact wrong and research shows that letting mother breastfeed actually reduces withdrawal in these babies and increases mother-baby bonding. Something that seemed so counterintuitive at first but admittedly I was wrong.
Trivial/funny: When I was little, my parents told me I was going to be getting a "new addition to the family" in terms of a baby sister. At the time I was the only child and very small so I asked if they could just give the baby (my sister) back to the stork.. Later I apparently realized thats not really where babies come from and I was indeed going to be a big brother to a new baby sister.
Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry, I plan to do this (as long as I can keep coming up with decent questions) for a while, so come back and have a go!
I will sort the SBI as soon as this baby loses consciousness...
Referral links
Mene, Investment jewellery (5 dollars credit just for making the account).
Humble Bundle Monthly, PC games package every month!
Busy.org A version of Steemit that allows small accounts to use the Vote Slider! When they get a dark theme, I'll be there full time!
Swift A project to bring a basic income via cryptocurrency.
Mannabase, Universal income in the blockchain, 50% bonus in the first year if you use this referral.
Minnowbooster Bonus for the new account maker as well!
Coinbase, the biggest fiat on and off ramp.
Binance, the biggest crypto exchange.
Coinjar Fiat on ramp for Australia or UK!
Cryptopia, Lots of lesser known altcoins.
HitBTC Even more Altcoins!
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I am currently reading Lord Fouls Bane, the first book of the Thomas Covenant Chronicles. I read a ton of fantasy and this is quite possibly my least favorite book I have ever read but I'm a glutton for punishment so I am finishing this one/the trilogy to see if it gets any better.
Oooh, good luck! I usually dump a book if it really doesn't grab me. I just don't have the time anymore to slog through. Same with games, I used to power through, hoping things would get better...
Well, hoping it turns a corner for you!
The winners and the new question (Design your perfect meal!) are here:
https://steemit.com/steembasicincome/@bengy/steem-basic-income-giveaway-design-your-last-meal
I am currently reading several books:
Robert Anton Wilson: Sex, Drugs and Magick by Robert Anton Wilson, since I really love his writing. If I were to guess, I don't think I would have ended up on Steem if I had not been exposed to him.
Anathem by Neal Stephenson - My fiction kick. A monster of a book, with some interesting and challenging concepts.
The Gruffalo by Axel Scheffler and Julia Donaldson - I have a three year old, so I am reading this often.
Anathem is one of my all time favourite books! If I remember correctly (and if I have the right Stephenson book), I loved the fact that the sects were based upon the v very real mathematical camps of what defines the reality of mathematics! I also enjoyed very much the Baroque cycle as well!
Reading to my kids is the most time that I have in front of a book when I'm at home. Currently, it is Charlotte's Web and The Rainbow Fairies for the older, and where is the green sheep for the younger.
I'm currently reading "Debt: The first 5,000 years". It was recommended by Vitalik Buteri, the creator of Ethereum. The guy is a genius, so I thought I would listen to his advice. It's an interesting perspective on the history of debt. My next book is going to be "zero to one" by Peter Thiel. This one is about building the future and how to capitalize on the knowledge that you have and how to share that with others.
I'm a huge fan of the Ethereum founder. I just listened to an interview of him, not only smart but wise. He is a great figurehead for the crypto movement, keeping his eyes open to the shortcomings and weaknesses of crypto and it's practitioners. You need to have this view to build a resilient and lasting system. I will definitely check this one out!
I don't know if you have heard about Health and Home. I don't know if this even qualifies for a "book" reading. Every time I have no books to read, this is what I end up reading, even back issues. It is a magazine where there articles about health and about family and relationships. It also comes with fun facts. My mom orders the compiled book for the previous year where all monthly editions are compiled. There is also a kid section where there are puzzles and coloring page for kids. It is a magazine for every one. There is a recipe but everything is vegetarian. If you are a meat lover, you can substitute or add ingredients. There are articles about benefits of vegetables. There are also articles on tips about work and home improvement. It also publishes personal stories like relationships, experiences in Christian life and lifestyle. Since it is a publication of Seventh-Day Adventists, there are also articles about the bible. It is a magazine that keeps me interested because it covers various topics. Recently, they have added local destinations and travel tips and guides. It is a magazine that is timely in discussing issues and interests we have today.
Lol!
Reading back issues of magazines, I used to go to the library and read heaps of back issues. Mostly gaming and computer stuff... With physics and mathematics... So no travel advice at all!
The winners and the new question (Design your perfect meal!) are here:
https://steemit.com/steembasicincome/@bengy/steem-basic-income-giveaway-design-your-last-meal
Currently, I am halfway through The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. He's one of my favorite authors, and this short, bittersweet novel does not disappoint. The protagonist, an unreliable narrator, is an older man returning to his childhood home and suddenly recalling an uncanny past he had largely forgotten. A book about wonder, memories, lost chances that keep haunting us.
Next in line is going to be the Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi. I have been promised hard science fiction and adventures of a gentleman burglar.
I love Neil Gaiman, he is a great author! I have read just about every book he has written over the years.
This is the book am reading at the hour and it's the book of the month in my reading group, I reviewed section Three of this book yesterday and it was amazing.
The First World War and the second has a lot of precipitated History and backlog attached to it, this book opens your eyes to them all and make you understand the whole thing in a better perspective, each data and assertion is backed up by evidences : newspaper headlines of the time, diary, archives and the likes and it now left for you who to believe.
I'll enjoin you to read it too.
Wow, historical non fiction! This would be perfect for my father in law. He loves this sort of thing and often visits all the important museums and battle sites.
Reading has been my passion ever since I can remember. I am pretty sure that my eyes are as bad as they are because when I was a kid, I read under my covers at night with hardly any light.
Birthdays and Christmas was all about books. I still have a lot of my childhood books I got from my godmother.
She lived in the East part of the divided Germany and I am in the West. They did have a hard time to get many things but books, beautiful books were plentiful. I loved reading them and having them around.
Actually, later I started reading Agatha Christy mysteries and always wanted one of those old English libraries.
That said, most of my reading right now is here on steemit and many of the books I "read" are actually audio books. But I am always tempted.
I have a little free library in front of my house and keep begging people for book donations. Some of those books I want to read first before putting them out there - but see above... Steemit = no time for anything these days.
Here are two books I am trying to get to right now (and 20 more in a pile - at least) One is from the donation box, the other I bought from the author, Toby Hemenway, shortly before he passed away.
Ah yes, we always include a book for our Christmas and birthday gifts. It really is a present that you need to put a bit of thought into, that is really tailored to the giftee. Much better than other 'off the shelf' (🙄) gifts.
The novel looks racy... But the other one looks really interesting. Might be something I'll look up for myself.
Do!! Toby was one of the kindest people I had the pleasure to meet. And so much knowledge!!
I'm reading a collection of short stories by Ali Smith called Public Library.
Reading books is my new promise to myself which I keep breaking by just reading on this screen all day. I wish it wasn't such a struggle because I really miss how it feels to read a book. Not just the actual feel, though holding a book is nice too, but sticking with one person for such a long time does something nice to my brain. It feels more relaxed somehow.
When I read more books, I used to love short stories. My favourites when I was growing up were the ones by Issac Asimov and the other greats from that era of sci-fi writing.
I have the same problem with finding and making things to read a book. I now try to take one with me on tour, for the long journeys and the quiet times in the hotel or before a performance.
That's a good idea, trying to carve out space. I keep saying to myself that I will leave all screens in the lounge room at night before bed, so at the very least there is time to read books before sleeping.
Might have to start leaving a book in the bathroom for toilet breaks. Desperate times, desperate measures :)
Back to the good old days. I always used to read in the toilet!
I am reading a book entitled Chiefdom Madinah, the misunderstanding about Islamic Country. This book actually a dissertation of the author to get his PhD. I bought the book in 2015, but I have been so busy with this and that. My wife and sometimes discuss about democracy system and other type of country governances. I think this book is a good literary guide of understanding Islamic politics in history. Until 19th century, there were no Muslim thinkers conducting a criticism review about the establishment of Caliph/sultan dynasty, even though it was an established government system that Muslims all over the world know for centuries. This book reveals more about the system and its history especially about the Arabian Cape socio reality at the moment. Here in Indonesia, my beloved country, the issue about changing the Republic into Islamic country like Chiefdom Madinah is still on some people demand. So, despite the fact that I am busy with my home gardening project, this book is enriched my mind.
This does look interesting, I do enjoy reading treatises in government and political power structures. I must admit, I know very little about the Islamic Sultanate form of governing. Is it very different from current forms of governance?
yes, there's a big different gap between chiefdom Madinah Under Prophet Muhammad as a religious leader and his orientation for the islamic community in Madinah that time and the 4 caliphs after he passed away. the charter of madina which is known for the best practices for the humanitarian and peace treaty among the tribes there charter of medina which is now become the main reason for the khilafah fighters in Indonesia not really perfect to applies in the most diverse country of tribes, faith and languages such as Indonesia.
what's the different with the current form of governance? example on Indonesia as a Republic
The Islamic system of government is also not a republican system. Where the republican system stands on the pillars of the democratic system, whose sovereignty is evident in the hands of the people. It is the people who have the right to rule and make rules, including the people who then have the right to determine someone to become the ruler, and at the same time the right to fire him. The people are also entitled to make rules in the form of constitution and legislation, including the right to delete, modify and change it while While the system of Islamic rule stands on the pillars of the Islamic faith, as well as the laws of syara '. Where his sovereignty is in the hands of syara ', not in the hands of the people. In this case both the ummah and the caliphs are not entitled to make their own rules. Because the one who has the right to make the rule is Allah SWT alone. While the khalifah only has the right to adopt the laws to be made as a basic law and legislation from the book of Allah and His Messenger's sunnah. Similarly, the people do not have the right to sack the caliph. For those who have the right to dismiss the caliphate is the 'mere'. However, the people remain entitled to lift it. Because Islam has made power in the hands of the people. So people have the right to raise the people they choose and they want to be their representative. source
there's a lot to discuss in this matter, the book i read is only one of the millions articles to understand the history of Islamic state and calipathe. thank you for your attention.
Wow, thanks for the answer! I have a lot to learn about this!
Me too, I hope my words will not cause any problems, English is a foreign language to me. I have a lot to learn too, the world is changing anyway.
I'm currently reading Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress. It would make a great Black Mirror episode. Science Fiction set in near future. Book 1 starts in 2008 and Book 4 ends in 2091. It poses some interesting questions to think about and maybe is even appropriate as it has some parallels to #steembasicincome.
The following comes from the wiki on the book;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beggars_in_Spain
I just nominated a couple of people to SBI, it will be interesting what develops with it.
SDG
This looks right up my alley! I haven't read a good Sci fi series for a while! I am in two minds about Black Mirror, I guess it is because there are multiple writers. I do enjoy some episodes, but others I feel are just empty, the way I feel about people complaining about Facebook on the Facebook platform...
This is true of the Black Mirror episodes. I didn’t really think about the episodes being written by different people. I was basically looking at the ideas presented and the fact that they are generally near future ideas.
Beggars in Spain is a complete book, not a series. I guess it was originally published as a series of 4 “novellas” /short stories and the combined into a single book.
SDG
The winners and the new question (Design your perfect meal!) are here:
https://steemit.com/steembasicincome/@bengy/steem-basic-income-giveaway-design-your-last-meal