Listened to: "Freakonomics" by Stephen D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

Listened to: Freakonomics: a rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything by Stephen D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, audio edition downloaded off Overdrive.com.

Very interesting. Wunderkind economist Levitt analyzes different topics by using statistical methods employed by economists. Did Roe v. Wade have the greatest effect on lowering crime than anything else in the 1990s? The corporate structure of the Vice Lords [I think it was the Vice Lords] in Chicago as related to the drug trade. Does a "black" name adversely affect a kid future when compared to a "white" name? Is gun control effective; what is more dangerous to children, a gun or a swimming pool? How are cheating teachers and Sumo wrestlers alike?

Well written and well narrated by the second co-author. Levitt lays out very convincing arguments. It would be interesting to hear any refutations of his arguments' A question I had: his argument that abortion had a huge effect on the crime-rate is partly based on comparison to the results of Romania's overnight banning of abortion and a resultant rise in crime. My first thought is, "How accurate are the Romanians' crime numbers?"

But, I'm way too lazy to look into argument's against Levitt's results. Besides, the topics he covers are controversial and encourage lying by opponents.

Listened to: "The Two Minute Rule" by Robert Crais

Listened to: The Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais, 2006, downloaded from overdrive.com.

Pretty decent novel; however, the narrator was not very good.

Richard Hollman is recently paroled from Federal prison after serving time for bank robbery. On the last day of Hollman's time at the halfway house he is notified that his long estranged police officer son, Richie, was murdered the night before. Hollman had been waiting until his final release to try and contact Richie.

For years Hollman was a car thieve and drug addict whose contact with his son was sporadic - at best - and spent no time with Richie as his parent. One time Richard took Richie on an outing to the Santa Monica pier and left the eight-year old boy with his friend's girlfriend so Hollman and his pal could go steal a Corvette they spotted in the parking lot.

Hollman is well drawn out by Crais and he has quite a temper. Hollman is constantly struggling to keep himself together over the death of his kid and his guilt at being such a piece of crap father and that maybe Richie turned out bad like Hollman. He starts asking questions about what happened the night Richie and three other officers were all murdered in the LA River channel. Hollman's questions get him in trouble with a Police Lieutenant in charge of the case.

The story is mostly believable and has a nice tie-in to a fictional version of the armed robbers from the 1997 North Hollywood bank shoot-out. Hollman, with the help of a former FBI agent who was bored and frustrated at home until Hollman sent a letter asking for help, figures out that the cops Richie was involved with were searching for the missing $16 million bucks from the robbers multiple bank robberies.

A good novel with a no-so-good narrator. The narrator's voices were annoying and almost all the time he had Hollman on edge and loud mouthed; that was grating to me.

Forced to finish: "Sullivan’s Law" by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg

Forced to finish: Sullivan's Law by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg, 2004, 0758206186

This was a festering pile of shit. How does this lady get people to buy her books? Why do people continue to read her books? How can they finish any of her books?

This is the only Rosenberg "novel" I have read and I will likely NEVER read another. I only finished Sullivan's Law because it is for a book discussion. In fact, I took notes of all the things that angered or annoyed me when reading this collection of poorly written paragraphs populated with wooden characters so I can gripe in detail.

Fucking piece of shit.

Read: "Magic City" by James W. Hall

Read: Magic City by James W. Hall, 2007, 9780312271794.

Very good. A mystery novel set in Miami with a connection to the 1964 Cassius Clay vs. Sonny Liston fight and a mass murder the night of the fight. You can tell by the writing that Thorn must be a continuing character. Hall's vague references to Thorn's past come off as mysterious and intriguing, not like the seemingly inside jokes of some series.

Main character Thorn lives in Key Largo but his girlfriend Alexandra lives in Miami. Thorn is going to spend a week watching after Alexandra's father, Lawton. Lawton's senility has been slowly progressing and he is getting more and more difficult for Thorn to deal with. Thorn is a laid-back beach bum and considering moving to Miami to be with Alexandra. Thorn's week long stay in Miami watching Lawton is a trial run to see if Thorn can take moving to the city.

Things go bad when a couple Miami goons try to steal an old photo of the Liston-Clay fight from Lawton's home. The photo shows proof a relationship among group of people in the fight audience. Proof of a relationship related to a mass murder against a Cuban family and their anti-Castro militia pals.

Hall does a great job in drawing out his characters and their actions. The two surviving boys of the massacre, the G. Gordon Liddy style goon, Thorn and his relationships with Alexandra and Lawton. Even briefly appearing minor characters get a revealing light shown upon them.

Hall also conveys the feelings and emotions of 1964 really well. The excitement of the upcoming fight and the social and political changes caused by the influx of immigrant Cubans are very well, and succinctly, done.

Finished: "Rumpole and the Reign of Terror" by John Mortimer

Finished: Rumpole and the Reign of Terror by John Mortimer, 2006, 0670038040.

Pretty good. A very quick read. I never read any of the Rumpole books or watched the television series. I picked this one out based on a review in Library Journal and a plot that involves British anti-terror laws.

Rumpole is a barrister who takes cases out of the Old Bailey court in London. Rumpole's main income comes from the Timson family whose wide ranging criminal progeny are in need of constant legal care. A disowned Timson approaches Rumpole to assist her Pakistani born doctor husband who has been arrested for something terrorist related. But, the government won't say what the doctor is charged with, what evidence there is, or who his accuser is.

Pretty much everyone turns against Rumpole on the assumption the doctor is guilty. Without Rumpole to advocate for him the doctor would have been totally screwed. How do you get a decent lawyer when everyone thinks you are a terrorist? Never mind that you're out of work and about to lose your freaking house - a key point in the doctor's innocence.

Read through: "Gun Digest 2007", 2006, 9780896893160

Read through: Gun Digest 2007, 2006, 9780896893160.

Eh. I get these annuals and sometimes the articles are interesting to me and sometimes not. The color photos of custom guns are always neat-o but never show enough detail.

I did the usual "Which one?" game. Each catalog page shows several photos of the items on that page. Which one would you take if you could choose one for free? Variations are: Pick one from each page to build a collection. Whatever gun chosen includes 10,000 rounds of ammunition. Gun chosen comes with no ammunition. Pick one only from each category of rifle, shotgun and handgun. So on and so forth.

Listened to: "The Slippery Slope" by Lemony Snicket

Listened to: The Slippery Slope: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 10 by Lemony Snicket, audio version donwloaded off overdrive.com.

Good, but the last two in the series were better. This one has three new characters and more information to unravel the mystery of V.F.D.

The idea of the squared off Mortmain Mountains was too fanciful. The newly introduced villains were intriguing if they scare Count Olaf they must be really bad. The third Quagmire triplet showing up was nice, too.