So what did you all do for Halloween?

 

I decided to do something different this year. This year I went on the Jack the ripper tour walk. With "Russell Edwards" it was really interesting. Before the tour we stopped in the "White Hart" pub for some cheeky halfs. The walk and tour, it's self fitted the weather perfect. Russell told us about the crimes and his theory of who Jack the ripper was. The end of the tour with last victim had a spooky feel and I was kind of happy to leave that court to be honest. We ended up in ten bells then went to brick lane for a cheeky ruby ((curry. for all the usa heads)) If your ever in london i Highly recommend Russell's tour. you can add him to twitter @rippertourldn

 

P.s Sorry about the picture's I was in a rush.

This is the very first book I read for Bertrand Russell. I admit: it's huge!
Though I totally disagree with Russell's view of God, but I really loved this book.
There are a lot of inspiring lines I loved.
This man is truly wise.

The part of the book I liked the most was the 'Good Life' part!
It was really fascinating. I read it more than three times!



Regarding 'God' issue, I think that Russell, just like all other atheists and agnostics, is not actually condemning God. He is condemning religious people who think that they are gods! Russell is angry at the image of God as presented by religious people! And ... he's completely right to be angry! And I totally agree with him that dogma is dangerous. The God I believe in doesn't want me to dogmatically believe in Him. God encourages me to question everything, even Him. This is the God I believe in. This is the God stupid religious people distorted in order to satisfy their own selfish control desires!!


I highly recommend this book.
God bless you Russell :)

Fuck it. I tried but I am not going to fight my way through a book in which the author first spent two chapters in himself before coming to Jack the Ripper. In these chapters we are entertained with such tragic stories like that time he was on holidays and ran out oft money so he had to work for a while before he could go back. He explains US that this means he can understand the Ripper victims better because they also had no money...no I am not kidding. I mean he also says that he cares a lot more about Jack than the victims so I have no clue why he told that story in the first place...
Anyway I have never read such a self-absorbed piece oft Ripper non fiction and I have read Cornwell's take in the subject (well tried to but compared to Edwards she's basically Fluttershy) and I just can't anymore...

We found the true identity of Jack the Ripper. Again. You should all read how Lyndsay Faye (who is an awesome author) rips through the latest theory.

Why is "New Atheism" called new? As far as arguments specifically directed against religion, I can't recall anything said recently that Russell (and many others) didn't already say in the first half of the century. However, there are many other topics covered in this book, and that's where plenty of room for disagreement comes in. In particular, his idea of psychology seems very debatable to me. He's convinced that all competitiveness and aggression could be eliminated by a simple program of positive childhood education, for one thing. His optimistic view of human nature is the basis for confidence in social progress, aided by scientific progress.

Russel was a fine writer, and not only are his arguments clearly stated, but he puts them into vigorous words. There is much that's memorable here. Perhaps the most eloquent essay of all, which remains completely relevant, is "Freedom and the Colleges", written just after moral guardians had successfully used the courts to prevent Russell from teaching at the City College of New York.