Count

5/10/2006

Pick one already!

I was staring at my package (no, you sicko, the USPS packages I mentioned yesterday) and had a hard time deciding which one I should start with.

There's Freakenomics: Steve Levitt's masterpiece on putting economics behind all types of events. I've been meaning to buy this book for a long long time and just never got around to do it.

Guns, Germs, and Steel: Jared Diamond's book, which received rave reviews from my mom. It seems like a good book to read, so I picked it up...

Lonely Planet Ireland: Just need this to prepare myself for the trip to Ireland this summer right after exams.

Now I Can Die in Peace: Bill Simmon's (Boston Sports Guy, or Sports Guy, or SG) book on his journey with the Red Sox. While I've read most of SG's articles, even those from the very old times, I'm interested in the book. If only I can get it autographed.

Red Sox Collectors DVD: 38 hours of Red Sox action, baby! I get to experience the exhilarating victories all over again. I can even pretend that we're in October and we just came back from a 0-3 deficit against the Yankees. DAMN RIGHT.

So... naturally, I went with the DVD. There were 12 discs (7 vs. Yanks, 4 vs. Cards, and 1 Championship DVD which I already have). I spent about an hour watching games 4, 5, and 6. The moment I enjoyed the most? Not the Roberts steal or Ortiz walk-off homer in game 4; not the Roberts steal or Ortiz walk-off single in game 5; not the Shilling bloody sock in game 6. The winner is... A-Rod slapping the ball out of Arroyo's glove. It's awesome to watch (after the fact, of course, I was so pissed at the moment and scared shitless for the inevitable letdown umps have shown Red Sox fans for years) and even better to rewatch. Gay-Rod, I hope your slap makes top 10 on the "Cheating in Sports", together with Maradona's Hand of God. What a dispicable act.

I read some of "Now I Can Die in Peace" last night, and will start Freakonomics when I finish. Hopefully I will have time to read the Gun book before cramming in Ireland during finals!

2 comments:

Le Voyageur said...

Ireland?! Awesome, almost makes up for the fact that you can't hit the Galapagos...

GG&S was a great book, and a very quick read (it sucks you in). I've been meaning to read Freakonomics for a while now, can I borrow from you once you're done? :)

Anonymous said...

Finished reading 3 quarters of Freakonomics. Felt like taking a Regression class: detailed hypothesis formulation, testing techniques, correlation vs. causation, multicollinearity and etc.

Interesting and easy to understand topics + Eco 101 principles (esp the concept of "incentives" - why I never learned it in GSB class) + story telling = Best Seller for the general readers.