Petra: hiatus, finding it hard to communicate's Reviews > Fahrenheit 451. Short Stories

Absolutely right and it's the reason that the WRITTEN word is so important. One day all books might be electronic and, as in Animal Farm, the words we thought we read last time will have changed. Not a nice thought.

Viva bibliophiles, for we are the saviours of the world! (That might be a teensie bit of an exaggeration but you know what I mean, lol)

Gary wrote: "One day all books might be electronic and, as in Animal Farm, the words we thought we read last time will have changed. ..."

Amazon changes words in Kindle books. They can change anything they want. I don't know if it is just typos. I have heard that SP authors have done content editing on their books but I don't know that for sure.

Such an important message, distilled so succinctly, Petra.

I'm 2/3 through rereading it for the first time in quite a few years. It's even better than I remembered - in unexpected ways.

It's such a prescient book. Here we are on the cusp of a new paradigm in publishing and no one is looking at the opportunity for rewriting history and religion that only having ebooks will make not just possible but no doubt tempting to the evil among us who would profit by doing so.

Petra X wrote: "It's such a prescient book. Here we are on the cusp of a new paradigm in publishing and no one is looking at the opportunity for rewriting history and religion..."

And don't forget the soporific and addictive qualities of always-on screens. That's a growing problem.

Cecily wrote: "And don't forget the soporific and addictive qualities of always-on screens. That's a growing problem..."

Goodreads lack of notifications mean conversations can have five year gaps. Ridiculous. Just as there is an algorithm that decides who shall appear in our update feed, maybe there is one for which books we get notifications on, or perhaps there is a limit to the number.

I rely on a daily email, and when that arrives (usually, but not always), it seems to be pretty complete. However, the Notifications bell icon on GR itself is far more limited. In particular it tells me if someone has liked a review, but NOT if someone has commented on one. The latter is far more useful. There's also a patterns of likes not sticking. When I comment on a review, I always* like it, as a matter of courtesy, but sometimes I go back to read further comments and I haven't liked it! Except I must have done.

*Exceptions are rare, but I can't rule out occasionally forgetting, plus, there've been at least two reviews that I really couldn't like in any way.

Cecily wrote: "When I comment on a review, I always* like it, as a matter of courtesy, but sometimes I go back to read further comments and I haven't liked it!..."

Yes, it is almost a mark of you know a negative comment or troll is coming if there is a comment but no like. I have found in the last month or so my 'likes' aren't sticking either.

I have had a spate of very negative comments recently especially this last week. Loads of American political ones, anti-Semitic ones from white supremacist types who like reading Turner, Protocols, Kevin McDonald etc and ones just telling me I'm an idiot (euphemism). So I'm going back to friends-only commenting which is sad since I liked getting comments from everyone.

I have such a volume of emails for work that i really don't think I could cope with more from Goodreads otherwise I would try it.

Earlier review link does not work??? Just FYI.

Lisa (not getting friends updates) wrote: "Earlier review link does not work??? Just FYI."

I have corrected it now. It seems that GR hid that review from Community Reviews because of the comments I made about Amazon/GR. That link was totally wrong. Very weird. Thanks for the heads-up!

A real eye-opener...

Not long ago I read something about people stealth-editing things they said a year ago about COVID that were subsequently proved wrong, such as assurances that COVID was not airborne.

People make mistakes, and I don't necessarily see a problem if people recognise they made a mistake. Altering the record to cover up your error - that's scary.

Covid not airborne? I remember talking to my dentist and he had been poring over all the peer review journals where they say it's not airborne. Sometimes the science can be correct but if it doesn't fit a narrative is discarded.

Kimber wrote: "Covid not airborne? I remember talking to my dentist and he had been poring over all the peer review journals where they say it's not airborne. Sometimes the science can be correct but if it doesn'..."

In April 2020 the WHO declared it a "fact" that COVID was not airborne. It only took until June before they had to admit their "fact" was incorrect.

Whilst I'm not accusing the WHO of trying to retroactively alter their advice, there are some people who are doing that, and pretending they didn't say what they did.

Yes. What interests me is which was correct, really. Our nation has already been so gaslighted that nobody knows. The earliest information just as well could have been truer. And yes, you are correct, we need to pay attention when the narrative gets altered.

Ian wrote: "People make mistakes, and I don't necessarily see a problem if people recognise they made a mistake. Altering the record to cover up your error - that's scary ..."

This is why we must always have print books with a copy of each in a library preferably, in the US, the Library of Congress. There are people, many, who would like to rewrite history to suit their own purposes. At the moment it is mostly self-published authors altering characters and endings to suit their fan-base.

Ian wrote: "People make mistakes, and I don't necessarily see a problem if people recognise they made a mistake. Altering the record to cover up your error - that's scary"

Petra X needs new friends after pruning the FrList wrote: "This is why we must always have print books with a copy of each in a library preferably, in the US, the Library of Congress."

Exactly. It's also why I don't necessarily get irate when someone digs out a controversial 10-year old comment or tweet from a public figure. If it's clear they've changed their mind and actions since (not waiting until "caught"), that is not hypocrisy, it's learning, and nothing to be ashamed of.

Cecily wrote: "Ian wrote: "People make mistakes, and I don't necessarily see a problem if people recognise they made a mistake. Altering the record to cover up your error - that's scary"

Petra X needs new friend..."

Quite right, Cecily and Petra X.

Or how they call it today: fake news. Meaning it was approved from someone from the Government.

Petra X needs new friends after pruning the FrList wrote: "Ian wrote: "People make mistakes, and I don't necessarily see a problem if people recognise they made a mistake. Altering the record to cover up your error - that's scary ..."

This is why we must ..."

I agree. From what I understand the Internet Archive also keeps a cache of internet pages that could be used to compare the original with an amended version, but that doesn't negate the need for paper copies.

I believe the BBC was once caught having stealth-edited a page on its website, originally published years before. The edit maybe wasn't a big issue in itself, but the principle makes me uncomfortable.

Cecily wrote: "Ian wrote: "People make mistakes, and I don't necessarily see a problem if people recognise they made a mistake. Altering the record to cover up your error - that's scary"

Petra X needs new friend..."

I feel the same way about that. Nowadays you sometimes see people hounded for something they said or did as a teenager, often decades ago.

The one exception is when a person who campaigns to get someone sacked from their job or otherwise "cancelled" is later "hoist by their own petard." I have limited sympathy in those cases. Margaret Ferrier MP is a classic example. As someone joked at the time, she was probably the first MP to call for her own resignation 4 months in advance, except of course she refused to resign.

Ian wrote:
I believe the BBC was once caught having stealth-edited a page on its website bla bla bla

That is a strong reminder of the dependent relationship between the master and the servants. Hence, the man is concerned that a propaganda machine *might* have edited some content. So funny. So depressing.

The BBC trades on their reputation of being the media wing of the UK Establishment, the Government, Royalty, Tradition, etc. This reputation is so firmly entrenched especially in the BBC World Service, that people fail to notice the huge amount of propaganda, the usually left-wing (but sometimes right-wing) non-objective attitudes and the championing of some causes and people's to the detriment of others. Should there be an outcry and there is an independent report commissioned - they simply go to court to get it suppressed.

Petra X needs new friends after pruning the FrList wrote: "...that people fail to notice the huge amount of propaganda..."

👍

Petra X needs new friends after pruning the FrList wrote: "The BBC trades on their reputation of being the media wing of the UK Establishment, the Government, Royalty, Tradition, etc. This reputation is so firmly entrenched especially in the BBC World Serv..."

I wouldn't disagree with any of that Petra. They definitely do have an agenda. Often enough I don't disagree with it, such as when they try to counteract negative stereotypes about particular groups. However, they do make it obvious.

Ian wrote: "I wouldn't disagree with any of that Petra. They definitely do have an agenda. Often enough I don't disagree with it,..."

That's what they are hoping for. However, the BBC's partisanship and coverups disgust me. They were so notably anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian whilst pretending to be objective that a report was commissioned and the BBC spent nearly a million pounds of taxpayers money getting it squashed, ie public not allowed to see it. If they are doing it to this issue, how many other issues are they misreporting hoping no one (like me) much knows the facts about issues except from the BBC?

The BBC is cronyism, neoliberal establishment at its worst. They bolstered up the Blair government (except on the Gilligan affair) because the chairman, Gavyn Davies was Blair's best mate - his children were bridesmaids at Blair's wedding, and his wife worked with Gordon Brown.

I don't live in the UK and haven't for over half my life, but the World Service was and is the main news provider for us and a lot of the world.

Petra X needs new friends after pruning the FrList wrote: "Ian wrote: "I wouldn't disagree with any of that Petra. They definitely do have an agenda. Often enough I don't disagree with it,..."

That's what they are hoping for. However, the BBC's partisansh..."

I agree that the BBC World Service is historically important; it was the voice of truth and reason that kept people hoping for a better future through wars, coups, Communist takeovers, etc, so it is imperative that it remain objective, and it is disgusting that partisanship has corrupted the BBC. if you can't trust them, who the hell do you trust?

Gary wrote: "it is disgusting that partisanship has corrupted the BBC. if you can't trust them, who the hell do you trust?..."

No one. You just have to find a news media outlet you agree with and bask in the warmth of confirmation bias.

Or just sit back and bitch at the TV like my husband and I do!

Kathryn wrote: "Or just sit back and bitch at the TV like my husband and I do!"

Try using the remote to find a more calming tv news channel?

Petra X needs new friends after pruning the FrList wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Or just sit back and bitch at the TV like my husband and I do!"

Try using the remote to find a more calming tv news channel?"

We find that even the local channels are either conservative or liberal. I would just like to know what’s happening at home and the world without opinions slipping in.

Petra X wrote: "Try using the remote to find a more calming tv news channel?"

Petra X wrote: "You just have to find a news media outlet you agree with and bask in the warmth of confirmation bias."

You answered yourself!

Kathryn wrote: "We find that even the local channels are either conservative or liberal. I would just like to know what’s happening at home and the world without opinions slipping in...."

That's difficult. What about a real-life local newspaper?

Petra X needs new friends after pruning the FrList wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "We find that even the local channels are either conservative or liberal. I would just like to know what’s happening at home and the world without opinions slipping in...."

That's d..."

That’s not really an option here because we live deep in the woods so they have to mail them. We do check local news online and that’s helpful.

Kathryn wrote: "That’s not really an option here because we live deep in the woods so they have to mail them...."

And I live in a rain forest and can't even get mail since the lockdown, everything is couriered in. Nice living in peaceful isolation though, don't you think?

Petra X needs new friends after pruning the FrList wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "That’s not really an option here because we live deep in the woods so they have to mail them...."

And I live in a rain forest and can't even get mail since the lockdown, everything..."

Definitely! Wouldn’t give it up for the world! More wildlife than people.

Kathryn wrote: "Definitely! Wouldn’t give it up for the world! More wildlife than people...."

You must have good wildlife. I tend to have lizards, wood slaves, frogs, (all of which I like) spiders, tarantulas, stinging beasties, biting beasties and other noxious large insects the cats bring in to play with.

Ewww….we have deer, moose, fox, wildlife like that. And we have a couple German Shepherd sisters, 2 year old Maggie Mae and Gerry Leigh that bring us so much love!

Kathryn wrote: "Ewww….we have deer, moose, fox, wildlife like that. And we have a couple German Shepherd sisters, 2 year old Maggie Mae and Gerry Leigh that bring us so much love!"

That's nice :-) We don't have many wild animals here, tortoises, mongooses, boa constrictors (I had one living on a beam in the house I lived in that had only three walls), can't think of anything else big.

Petra X needs new friends after pruning the FrList wrote: That's what they are hoping for. However, the BBC's partisansh..."

Only the guy was not saying that. The guy is saying he loves Big Brother with all his heart, but sometimes Big Brother's interests are not the same as his, and at that time he would like a choice for him or his group, never for outsiders.

Excellent review!