Linux for Non-Geeks: A Hands-On, Project-Based, Take-It-Slow Guidebook

Linux for Non-Geeks: A Hands-On, Project-Based, Take-It-Slow Guidebook
Rickford Grant | 2004-03-01 00:00:00 | No Starch Press | 320 | Linux
This book is for any home user who has switched or is thinking of switching to Linux. Based on Red Hat's Fedora Core, Linux For Non-Geeks avoids geeky subjects like server and network setup and concentrates on the subjects of interest to the average home user: Installation, the Internet, playing CDs and audio files, desktop customization, games, downloading software and fonts, USB storage devices, printing, and more. Readers with only basic experience with Windows or another Linux distribution will learn how to do everything on their Linux machine that they are used to doing with Windows.
Reviews
This was a good intro book in 2004, but now it's hopelessly out of date. If you intend to use any of the modern versions of Linux, this book will be of very little help.
Reviews
I have Linspire 5.0 and I wanted to learn more about Linux command line. The book is good if you are using Fedora Core and it was a good start for command line. I enjoyed it but it could be a little more in depth.
Reviews
If you want to learn to use Linux for your desktop computer but are not intested in indepth technical jargon then this is the book for you. It is written in simple, easy to understand "non-geek" English so that the average computer user can understand what is going on. Anyone should be up and running Linux in a short time. And by running Linux I mean doing all the things you want to do on the computer. This book focuses on teaching the average home user how to do the things you want to do like customizing your desktop and icons, surfing the net, playing your CD's and mp3's, downloading and installing games and software (all for free), and much more. Even after using Linux for a few years I still use this book for reference if I need to look something up.



I would like to say one thing. I bought this book right after it was released in 2004. Since then Linux has come a long way. This book comes with Fedora Core 1 and Fedora Core is now up to release 5 (at the time of this writing). Now there is really no reason to feel like you have to have the newest release because there are lots of people still running 1 (or older versions) but if you are running a newer computer with new hardware there might be a chance that Fedora Core 1 will not have drivers for the newest stuff. I say this not to discourage anyone from buying this book, but rather to let people know that if the CD this book comes with does not work with your computer you did not waste your money. Your next best option would be to find the newest release of Fedora by either free download or buying it cheaply somewhere online. This may well solve your problem and if not check out the many forums for Linux as people are always willing to help and are very friendly. This book is still great and I highly recommend it, but it would be really nice if a new updated edition would be released.



Edit 2/6/07: I felt the need to edit this review. Everything I have said still stands, but this book along with the software it walks you through is dated. Fedora Core 1 is no longer supported. I said that it would be really nice if a new updated edition would be released and it looks like there has been, though as another book. I have not read this new book but it might be a better place to start since it uses more up to date software. The book is called Ubuntu Linux for Non-Geeks by the same author. I would advice you to look into it before purchasing this book.


Reviews
The book is very helpful in setting up a Fedora Linux installation if the accomopaning disks were complete. The insturctions in the book were clear and concise.



My problem was that I have only one hard drive and needed to repartition it using a partition program. (I used Partition Magic.) When it came time to load the linux supplied with the book onto the machine, it had difficulty recognizing the partions and did not load properly. it froze up upon being loaded onto the machine for its first boot. I was forced to download Fedora 4 in order to install it properly (Fedora 4 worked just fine.). I also downloaded the documentation including installation instructions which were clear although much broader then I needed them. I am still working my way through the projects in Linux for Non-Geeks.
Reviews
I had tremendous prior difficulty when I tried to use Linux because I could not configure essential components like my modem nor could I figure out how to run essential programs to expand and install programs. Rickford Grant's book was amazingly easy to follow and within 1/2 hour, I had installed Linux and was actually using the internet and email. I have been using the system for 3 hours sofar, setting up Palm, opening and editing all kinds of Microsoft Office documents, downloading my Yahoo mail, etc. No crashes. No glitches, and faster speed. I was so impressed I wanted to write this review to encourage other seasoned and disgruntled Windows XP users to take the plunge.



Updated 3-6-06. To date, Linux has NEVER crashed or frozen to the point necessitating reboot. There have been some trouble spots including inability to configure my old (but not new) flatbed scanner. I like Linux so much I got a laptop to be a dedicated Linux machine. My first attempt was to convert my old Presario 1240, but it was so dreadfully slow that it was useless. I am now going to try to convert a Dell laptop. More to come....

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Dreamweaver MX / Fireworks MX Savvy with CDROM

Dreamweaver MX / Fireworks MX Savvy with CDROM
| 2002-06-15 00:00:00 | | 0 | Macromedia Dreamweaver


Dreamweaver / Fireworks Savvy features a task-based approach combined with hands-on tutorials, all designed to get beginners up to speed quickly and help intermediate and advanced users master this robust web development tool.

Lead writer Christian Crumlish is an author and consultant who's been designing web sites since 1994 and using Dreamweaver since it first appeared. Backed by a team of topic-specific contributors, he provides in-depth coverage of critical topics, including: best-practices web publishing and site management techniques; in-depth instruction for customizing and extending Dreamweaver functionality; creating, developing, and optimizing graphics with Fireworks; as well as adding and managing dynamic content to database-backed web applications using any number of server models.

Dreamweaver / Fireworks Savvy features a color insert illustrating color management and optimization techniques, as well as a CD with Dreamweaver Extensions, practice files, product demos, and other helpful resources.

Like all Savvy books, Dreamweaver / Fireworks Savvy is printed on quality, coated paper for crisp image reproduction.

User review
Dreamweaver MX / Fireworks MX Savvy
If you are new to FireWorks MX and DreamWeaver MX, DON'T waste your time with this book. There are too many errors, inaccuracies and incomplete process steps. Plus, the CD does not have all of the sample files mentioned in the Hands On portion of the lessons.
If you are experianced with FireWorks MX and Dreamweaver MX, nothing savvy here either. No new tricks, no great tips.
Needless to say I was very disappointed.

User review
okay, but errors abound.
1st few chapter chapters showed promise. Laid out easy to understand. Fireworks chapters are obviously written by someone else and leave alot to be disired. Not very intuitive examples, make you struggle though it, that and missing files from cd dont help. Typo's through out book, and chapter 30 has a bullet point on the first page of the chapter about the topics to be covered on Finding or Preparing a Host Server, but the topic isn't covered in the chapter. Copy Editors sure fell down on the job in this book.

User review
Verbose, uninspiring tome
When I purchased this book I had high hopes for it, as most of the customer reviews had given it a high rating. But, this is probably the most uninspiring web design book I've ever come across.

Yes, all the technical details are in there, so if you're looking for a reference manual, perhaps this book would be a good one to have on your shelf ,,. but Macromedia's own help files, website, and user's guide provide the same information. So, why spend the extra [$$] for a volume that's not nearly as succinctly written?!

If you're the type who likes to learn by doing, then you'll be disappointed with `DW/FW` Savvy. The tutorials are lackluster and the included photos/layouts on CD-ROM are unbelievably amateurish. The Fireworks section is just `OK,` which is surprising since Joyce J. Evans is a highly regarded expert. Once again, everything you need to know is included, but you're definitely not going to say `Wow, I want to do that!`

My advice is to sprint on over to Project Seven's website and purchase their `Dreamweaver MX, Building on Solid Foundations` ebook. You'll learn *so* much and have a truly enjoyable time while you do. PVII's team has a design aesthetic that provides for clean, functional, well thought out pages coupled with cutting edge CSS techniques that will have you just marvelling at how much you can do with styles.

Bottom line, your money could be better spent elsewhere.

User review
Don't waste your money
If you have a limited budget or are a beginner to Fireworks/Dreamweaver, don't waste your money on this book.

This is one of those books written by commmittee - a group of authors each doing separate chapters. Unfortunately it reads as if none of the authors ever coordinated with each other. One glaring example, most of the illustrations are B&W and the text keeps referring the reader to the see color examples in a later chapter. Unfortunately most of the examples the reader is sent to see are not in that chapter at all! Whilte there is a copy editor and a technical editor listed as part of this book's production team they don't appear to have done anything constructive.

I have been making notes in my copy as I find typos, grammatical errors and errors in the tutorials (either mistaken directions or missing directions or material missing from the included CD). Virtually every chapter has several errors of each kind.

The beginner will quickly become confused, or worse, give up on trying to learn.

There is a Yahoo group run by the lead author of the book where some of the errors were beign collected. A week or so ago the author noted that the book had gone into a 2nd printing. It is possible that some of the many errors in the first edition were caught and fixed. I certainly hope so. This book does real damage to the image of Sybex as a publisher of quality material.

User review
Comprehensive Guide to Fireworks and Dreamweaver
This book takes you on a journey from basic information to advanced concepts. Regardless of your experience with Dreamweaver and Fireworks, you're sure to learn something new.

The chronological organization covers both programs in a logical manner for beginners that are starting with an idea and working their way to a final website. For the more advanced readers there are numerous indexes so that the desired information is easily found. Something all readers will find especially useful is the seven-page appendix of Windows and Mac Keyboard Shortcuts.

This book is great for anyone interested in mastering Dreamweaver and seamlessly integrating Fireworks for more efficient web design.

PEOPLES, CULTURES AND NATIONS IN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

PEOPLES, CULTURES AND NATIONS IN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
Paul Gilbert | 2000-01-01 00:00:00 | Georgetown University Press Washington, DC | 232 | Subjects

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Oral Cells and Tissues

Oral Cells and Tissues
Philias R. Garant | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | Quintessence Publishing (IL) | 430 | Anatomy
State Univ. of New York at Stony Brook. Text presents the basic biology of the oral cavity and applies it to the daily clinical practice of dentistry. Discusses early tooth development, dentin, enamel, root formation, bone, immune system, and phagocytic cells. Color and halftone illustrations. For dental students and researchers. Softcover.

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International Review of Cytology, Volume 152

International Review of Cytology, Volume 152
Kwang W. Jeon,Jonathan Jarvik | 1994-05-24 00:00:00 | Academic Press | 308 | Anatomy
International Review of Cytology presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology-both plant and animal. Articles address structure and control of gene expression, nucleocytoplasmic interactions, control of cell development and differentiation, and cell transformation and growth. Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research.

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Truly Understood 2008

Truly Understood 2008
Christopher Peacocke | 2008-01-01 00:00:00 | Oxford University Press, USA | 356 | Non-fiction
In Truly Understood, Christopher Peacocke argues that truth and reference have a much deeper role in the explanation of meaning and understanding than has hitherto been appreciated. Examination of specific concepts shows that a grasp of these concepts has to be characterized in terms of reference, identity, and relations to the world.

Peacocke develops a positive general theory of understanding based on the idea that concepts are individuated by their fundamental reference rules, which contrasts sharply with conceptual-role, inferentialist, and pragmatist approaches to meaning. He treats thought about the material world, about places and times, and about the self within the framework of this general account, and extends the theory to explain the normative dimensions of content, which he believes are founded in the network of connections between concepts and the level of reference and truth. In the second part of the book, Peacocke explores the application of this account to some problematic mental phenomena, including the conception of many subjects of experience, concepts of conscious states, mental action, and our ability to think about the contents of our own and others' mental states.
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Paper Airplanes: Models to Build and Fly

Paper Airplanes: Models to Build and Fly
Emery J. Kelly | 2000-01-01 00:00:00 | Lerner Publications | 64 | Art related
Presents information on aerodynamic principles and flying techniques along with instructions for making twelve different paper airplanes.
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Chaucer and the City (Chaucer Studies)

Chaucer and the City (Chaucer Studies)
Ardis Butterfield | 2006-05-18 00:00:00 | D.S.Brewer | 248 | Classics
Literature of the city and the city in literature are topics of major contemporary interest. This volume enhances our understanding of Chaucer's iconic role as a London poet, defining the modern sense of London as a city in history, steeped in its medieval past. Building on recent work by historians on medieval London, as well as modern urban theory, the essays address the centrality of the city in Chaucer's work, and of Chaucer to a literature and a language of the city. Contributors explore the spatial extent of the city, imaginatively and geographically; the diverse and sometimes violent relationships between communities, and the use of language to identify and speak for communities; the worlds of commerce, the aristocracy, law, and public order. A final section considers the longer history and memory of the medieval city beyond the devastations of the Great Fire and into the Victorian period. Dr ARDIS BUTTERFIELD is Reader in English at University College London. Contributors: ARDIS BUTTERFIELD, MARION TURNER, RUTH EVANS, BARBARA NOLAN, CHRISTOPHER CANNON, DEREK PEARSALL, HELEN COOPER, C. DAVID BENSON, ELLIOT KENDALL, JOHN SCATTERGOOD, PAUL DAVIS, HELEN PHILLIPS

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Knitting Around the World

Knitting Around the World
Collective | 1993-01-01 00:00:00 | Taunton | 89 | Do It Yourself
The book on knitting: Arana, jacquards. Models are accompanied by descriptions and diagrams.
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Dust Explosions in the Process Industries 2nd edition

Dust Explosions in the Process Industries 2nd edition
Rolf K.Eckhoff | 1997-01-01 00:00:00 | Butterworth-Heinemann | 660 | Other Engineering
Experience has shown all too clearly that ignition and explosion can occur wherever combustible dusts are handled or permitted to accumulate as a by-product of related activities. Despite reasonable precautions, accidents can and do happen; recognition of this universal hazard and the potential means for its control is widespread, as evidenced by the many individuals and groups worldwide performing research and developing codes and regulations. The primary means of controlling and minimizing this recognized hazard are study, regulation and education; to accomplish this, specific knowledge must be generated and disseminated for the benefit of all interested people. Rolf Eckhoff has, in my estimation, prepared an outstanding book. It presents a detailed and comprehensive critique of all the significant phases relating to the hazard and control of a dust explosion, and offers an up to date evaluation of prevalent activities, testing methods, design measures and safe operating tcchniques.
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Digital Techniques for Wideband Receivers (Artech House Radar Library)

Digital Techniques for Wideband Receivers (Artech House Radar Library)
James B. Y. Tsui | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | Artech Print on Demand | 608 | Wireless Networks
A comprehensive design guide for your digital processing work with today's complex receiver systems. Brand new material brings the reader up-to-date with the latest information on wideband electronic warfare receivers, the ADC testing procedure, frequency channelization and decoding schemes, and the operation of monobit receivers. The book explains how to effectively evaluate ADCs, offers insight on building electronic warfare receivers, and describes zero crossing techniques that are critical to new receiver design. From fundamental concepts and procedures to recent technology advances in digital receivers, it offers practical solutions to all demanding wideband receiver problems. This hands-on reference is packed with 1,103 equations and 315 illustrations that support key topics covered throughout the book.
Reviews
One of the best books on designing digital receivers. Has tons of details probing aspects of both the RF and the DSP side of it. It is all discussed in the context of electronic warfare applications. Great mesh of an RF-meets-radio DSP text. Clear discussions, even MATLAB code. Lots of figures.
Reviews
This book is a great intro to digital receiver design and techniques. The focus of this book however, is for those receivers which are used for Radar Warning Receivers (RWRs). The second chapter starts off with typical and desirable characteristics applicable to these type of receivers (wides bandwidth and large instantaneous dynamic range, etc). He then uses this intro to gradually introduce all parts of a receiver and signal processing techniques.



This book covers ADC and their pertinent selection criteria, analog RF chain analysis, probability of detection, FFTs, monobit receiver design, antenna arrays, angle of arrival, spectral estimation techniques (I actually like the presentation here more than compared to Proakis and Manolakis's Digital Signal Processing book), and then how do you test it all as a system.



There are many more topics that I am missing, but I think that I have hit on the main points. All in all, I would recommend this book if you are interested in learning the techniques used in RWRs, but the chapter on ADCs is also good for any designer looking for ways to choose ADCs and how to test them.

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Reliability Physics and Engineering: Time-To-Failure Modeling

Reliability Physics and Engineering: Time-To-Failure Modeling
J.W. McPherson | 2010-01-01 00:00:00 | Springer | 386 | Physics
This book provides the basic Reliability Physics and Engineering tools that are needed by Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Materials Scientists, and Applied Physicists to build better products. The material includes information for engineers to develop better methodologies for producing reliable product designs and materials selections to improve product reliability. Important statistical training and tools are contained within the text. The author emphasizes the physics of failure and the development of reliability engineering models for failure.

The beginning of the book concentrates on device/materials degradation and the development of the critically important time-to-failure models. Since time-to-failure is a statistical process, the needed statistical tools are presented next along with failure-rate modeling. Following that the use of accelerated testing and the modeling of the acceleration factors are presented. The next section focuses on the effective use of these acceleration factors, during initial product-level testing and operation, in order to reduce the expected device failure rate in the field. The important time-to-failure models are presented next for Electrical Engineering applications. Likewise, the next section addresses important time-to-failure models for Mechanical Engineering applications. The final chapters provide both Electrical and Mechanical Engineers with design help specifically, conversion of dynamic/transient stresses into equivalent static forms, establishing aggressive but safe design rules, and the need to look very closely at design and process interactions.
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Managing Complexity: Insights, Concepts, Applications (Understanding Complex Systems)

Managing Complexity: Insights, Concepts, Applications (Understanding Complex Systems)
Dirk Helbing | 2007-01-01 00:00:00 | Springer | 394 | Management
Each chapter in "Managing Complexity" focuses on analyzing real-world complex systems and transferring knowledge from the complex-systems sciences to applications in business, industry and society. The interdisciplinary contributions range from markets and production through logistics, traffic control, and critical infrastructures, up to network design, information systems, social conflicts and building consensus. They serve to raise readers’ awareness concerning the often counter-intuitive behavior of complex systems and to help them integrate insights gained in complexity research into everyday planning, decision making, strategic optimization, and policy. Intended for a broad readership, the contributions have been kept largely non-technical and address a general, scientifically literate audience involved in corporate, academic, and public institutions
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The Unofficial Guide to Microsoft Office Word 2007 (Unofficial Guides)

The Unofficial Guide to Microsoft Office Word 2007 (Unofficial Guides)
David J. Clark | 2007-02-12 00:00:00 | Wiley | 573 | Word
The inside scoop... for when you want more than the official line!

Microsoft Office Word 2007 may be the top word processor, but to use it with confidence, you'll need to know its quirks and shortcuts. Find out what the manual doesn't always tell you in this insider's guide to using Word in the real world. How do you use the new Ribbon? What's the best way to add pictures? From deciphering fonts to doing mass mailings, first get the official way, then the best way from an expert.

Unbiased coverage on how to get the most out of Word 2007, from applying templates and styles to using new collaboration tools

Savvy, real-world advice on creating document for the Web, saving time with macros, and punching up docs with SmartArt.

Time-saving techniques and practical guidance on working around Word quirks, avoiding pitfalls, and increasing your productivity.

Tips and hacks on how to customize keyboard shortcuts, how to embed fonts, and quick ways to get to Help.

Sidebars and tables on TrueType versus Printer fonts, World 2007 View modes, and tabs in Word 2007.

Watch for these graphic icons in every chapter to guide you to specific practical information. Bright Ideas are smart innovations that will save you time or hassle. Hacks are insider tips and shortcuts that increase productivity. When you see Watch Out! heed the cautions or warnings to help you avoid common pitfalls. And finally, check out the Inside Scoops for practical insights from the author. It's like having your own expert at your side!
Reviews
This is easy to read. Laid out in a simply organised way. It is perfect for beginners or intermediate users of Word 2007
Reviews
I bought a new desktop, already programmed for Windows Vista and Word 2007, so I needed help. The book answers some obvious questions, but also assumes excellent prior knowledge of XP.

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Build Your Own farm Tractor

Build Your Own farm Tractor
| 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | | 1 | Do It Yourself
Build Your Own farm Tractor
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European Communism: 1848-1991 (European History in Perspective)

European Communism: 1848-1991 (European History in Perspective)
Ronald Kowalski | 2006-08-22 00:00:00 | Palgrave Macmillan | 280 | Germany

Communism has had a profound impact on Europe from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. In theory, it promised equality and freedom for all. In practice, it spawned inegalitarian, authoritarian and, in some instances, monstrous regimes in East Europe. Ronald Kowalski re-examines the history of European Communism, from its theoretical origins in the work of Marx and Engels until the collapse of the Soviet Union, and explains why it failed to come to power in West Europe.

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Practical Analog Design Techniques

Practical Analog Design Techniques
Walt Kester | 1995-01-01 00:00:00 | Analog Devices Inc | 384 | Electrical Engineering
SECTION 1
SINGLE-SUPPLY AMPLIFIERS
Rail-to-Rail Input Stages
Rail-to-Rail Output Stages
Single-Supply Instrumentation Amplifiers
SECTION 2
HIGH SPEED OP AMPS
Driving Capacitive Loads
Cable Driving
Single-Supply Considerations
Application Circuits
SECTION 3
HIGH RESOLUTION SIGNAL CONDITIONING ADCs
Sigma-Delta ADCs
High Resolution, Low Frequency Measurement ADCs
SECTION 4
HIGH SPEED SAMPLING ADCs
ADC Dynamic Considerations
Selecting the Drive Amplifier Based on
ADC Dynamic Performance
Driving Flash Converters
Driving the AD9050 Single-Supply ADC
Driving ADCs with Switched Capacitor Inputs
Gain Setting and Level Shifting
External Reference Voltage Generation
ADC Input Protection and Clamping
Applications for Clamping Amplifiers
Noise Considerations in High Speed Sampling ADC Applications
SECTION 5
UNDERSAMPLING APPLICATIONS
Fundamentals of Undersampling
Increasing ADC SFDR and ENOB using External SHAs
Use of Dither Signals to Increase ADC Dynamic Range
Effect of ADC Linearity and Resolution on SFDR and
Noise in Digital Spectral Analysis Applications
Future Trends in Undersampling ADCs
SECTION 6
MULTICHANNEL APPLICATIONS
Data Acquisition System Considerations
Multiplexing
Filtering Considerations for Data Acquisition Systems
SHA and ADC Settling Time Requirements in Multiplexed Applications
Complete Data Acquisition Systems on a Chip
Multiplexing into Sigma-Delta ADCs
Simultaneous Sampling Systems
Data Distribution Systems using Multiple DACs
SECTION 7
OVERVOLTAGE EFFECTS ON ANALOG INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
Amplifier Input Stage Overvoltage
Amplifier Output Voltage Phase Reversal
Understanding and Protecting Integrated
Circuits from Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
SECTION 8
DISTORTION MEASUREMENTS
High Speed Op Amp Distortion
High Frequency Two-Tone Generation
Using Spectrum Analyzers in High Frequency
Low Distortion Measurements
Measuring ADC Distortion using FFTs
FFT Testing
Troubleshooting the FFT Output
Analyzing the FFT Output
SECTION 9
HARDWARE DESIGN TECHNIQUES
Prototyping Analog Circuits
Evaluation Boards
Noise Reduction and Filtering for
Switching Power Supplies
Low Dropout References and Regulators
EMI/RFI Considerations
Sensors and Cable Shielding
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Biogeography, Time and Place: Distributions, Barriers and Islands (Topics in Geobiology)

Biogeography, Time and Place: Distributions, Barriers and Islands (Topics in Geobiology)
Willem Renema | 2007-11-14 00:00:00 | Springer | 416 | Biology

Biogeography considers the distribution of biological units over a wide range of scales. The units range from genotypes, populations and species to families and higher taxa. Processes can be local, such as the isolation on islands due to sea-level fluctuations, or large-scale tectonic processes that separates continents and creates oceans. In all processes time is an important factor and by combining data on recent patterns with paleontological data the understanding of the distribution of extant taxa can be improved. This volume focuses on speciation due to isolation in island-like settings, and the evolution of large-scale diversity as the result of origination, maintenance and extinction.

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Britain in Revolution: 1625-1660

Britain in Revolution: 1625-1660
Austin Woolrych | 2004-09-30 00:00:00 | Oxford University Press, USA | 826 | England
This is the definitive history of the English Civil War, set in its full historical context from the accession of Charles I to the Restoration of Charles II. These were perhaps the most turbulent years of British history with reverberations down the centuries. Austin Woolrych captures the drama and the passion, the momentum of events and the force of contingency. He brilliantly interweaves the history of the three kingdoms and peoples, gripping the reader with the fast-paced yet always balanced story.
Reviews
If you are looking for a comprehensive, single volume on this turbulent period in England's history, this is the book.
Reviews
A wonderful exposition of the complicated evolution of the Cromwellian Years.



Woolrych, a distinguished historian, whose depth of scholarship is matched by a lightness of expression which makes this a very accessible and enjoyable read. He introduces the various characters and their shifting alliances and the spectrum of opinion very lucidly.

I think the positive points area the following



1. excellent description of the evolution of the opposition to Charles I, great feeling of the gradual coming to power of Cromwell and the interplay between the pragmatic and dogmatic parliamentarian forces. For the initial period the main opposition to Charles came from the powerful lords and it is only the division of the initial opposition forces and the prospect of defeat which leads to the creation of the efficient New Model Army and the rise of Cromwell and Faifax, this is accompanied by the rise in influence of the Commons and the Army

2. the power of religious belief - the spectrum of belief (and fanaticism) is well described, and the divisions among various proponents, and the ultimate division between dogmatism and pragmatism is well described.

3. Cromwell's pragmatic foreign policies - especially the opposition to the Dutch, co-religionists but commercial rivals; and the cooperation with the French and the acquisition of Dunkirk to deter naval invasion.

4. the book is strong in pointing towards the political traditions which would become more explicit in the party wars of the Restoration era. There are hints of the emergence of the privy council in the descriptions of `Protectorate Council' which advised Cromwell. Unfortunately the records of this council do not exist, but there are some fascinating characters - Shaftesbury, Sandwich - introduced here, who have major impacts in later years.



However the veneration of Cromwell, in my view, goes to far. His implacable opposition to Catholicism reached its nadir in the Irish massacres, I feel Woolrych goes to far in saying that they were comparable to other sieges of the time and that the worst of the them were outside his control. Woolrych is justified in admiring Cromwell's fortitude and determination, and reveals his rather surprising periods of indecision (awaiting a sign from the Almighty), however I think the portrait should also call the ruthlessness for what it was.

A more major flaw, I think, is that it is quite difficult to grasp `popular' opinion from the text. The action is told in terms of high diplomacy, parliamentary and military history - for which records exists and clear-cut choices and consequences can be adduced. It is less easy to interpret from the text, how the mood of the population changed during the time - was the time of the Commonwealth and Protectorate gloomy and oppressive? Why was the 1660 Restoration welcomed with such popular enthusiasm, but Charles II Scottish-led invasion in the early 1650's ignored? At the risk of some speculation it is possible to infer reasons - and work by Tim Harris has given some insight into contemporary `popular' thinking, however it is not to be found here.



Overall I found this book to be an excellent description of military and political history of the era, it is a comprehensive introduction to trying to make sense of the political controversies which dogged the later Stuarts and led to the 1688 revolution. It leaves me wishing to know more about the evolution of popular opinion and the mechanism of governance during the Commonwealth and Protectorate eras.


Reviews
Britain in Revolution by Austin Woolrych covers the time period from 1625 through 1660. This begins with the tail-end of the reign of James I (of "King James Version" fame). Charles I is regent when the civil wars begin. Woolrych spends much time on the civil wars, detailing troop movements; politics amongst England, Scotland, and Ireland; and of course battles. Maps (in the back matter) are provided. These give the reader a better sense of what happened where.

Woolrych then progresses through the various forms of war government (both during and after the civil war) that the parliament contrives. None of them are very effective. It seems the main problem was that there were too many inflexible wills amongst the many groups, all of which were defined on primarily religious grounds. Woolrych provides excellent detail of these groups and their particularities. Lack of compromise amongst these groups eventually led Oliver Cromwell to say, "Enough!" and sack them all.

Woolrych paints Cromwell in a flattering light. Woolrych's Cromwell is not a zealot, he's not vindictive, he's not a military dictator. He's a guy committed to the idea of "commonwealth": committed to the idea of a non-Catholic, non-Church-of-England Republic working. Much happened with Cromwell at the helm -- and had he had a few more years before his death, posits Woolrych, things may have been very different. During the commonwealth, Britain was, for the most part, a united kingdom. There were problems with Ireland, but there were always (and still are) problems with Ireland in the context of the UK. But in several naval battles, Britain rose to power in the international scene. Virtually every important foreign government recognized Cromwell's government. Cromwell negotiated as a mediator in several skirmishes (wars) such as in Denmark. Anyway, Woolrych's point is that Cromwell was an effective leader nationally and internationally, providing reason to view the Protectorate as at least a limited success.

After Cromwell dies, however, the whole thing falls apart. The power-hungry parties that only Cromwell was able to subdue (largely due to the relationship between Cromwell and the Army) quickly rose up and scuttled the term of Richard Cromwell as Lord Protector. From there, it was all downhill, and in a matter of months, Charles II returned from exile back to the throne, welcomed by virtually everyone. This is in large part due to George Monck -- an interesting character whom it would be fun to read more about.

Should you read this book? If you've ever wondered what happened in England that led the parliament to revolt, behead the king, and go it on their own -- the answer is a resounding "YES!". Though you must realize that the book is fairly detailed -- this is history, not a fictionalized story or narrative, and sometimes the details do seem to bog one down.

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Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Great Lakes (The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry / Water Pollution)

Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Great Lakes (The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry / Water Pollution)
Ronald A. Hites | 2006-03-16 00:00:00 | Springer | 441 | Engineering

Pollution threatens the Laurentian Great Lakes and is a serious problem. This book examines what is known about the major classes of persistent toxic organic pollutants. Agricultural runoff, urban waste, industrial discharge, landfill leachate, and atmospheric deposition, are all to blame. Contamination of the various ecosystems is reviewed, and what is known about the effects of this pollution. This volume provides an invaluable resource for those in environmental research, measurements, and decision making concerning the Great Lakes.

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Classroom Instruction That Works With English Language Learners

Classroom Instruction That Works With English Language Learners
Jane D. Hill and Kathleen MFlynn | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | Association for Supervision & Curriculum Deve | 144 | English
As more and more English language learners (ELLs) are included in mainstream classrooms, what can we do to ensure that they understand academic content and develop their English language skills? To answer this question, authors Jane Hill and Kathleen Flynn have examined decades of research, interviewed mainstream teachers with ELLs in their classrooms, and reviewed the classroom recommendations from Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock’s seminal Classroom Instruction That Works (2001) through an ELL lens. The result is Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners—a comprehensive guide to helping elementary school students at all levels of English language acquisition succeed.

The strategies discussed in the book include homework and practice, summarization and note taking, and use of nonlinguistic representations, among many others. For each strategy, the authors provide a summary of the research, detailed examples of how to modify the strategy for use with ELLs in mainstream classrooms, and teacher accounts of implementation. Because ELLs face cultural hurdles as well as linguistic ones, this book also shows teachers how to glean insight into students’ backgrounds and address the cultural biases inherent in many classroom practices.

Accommodating English language learners is one of the greatest challenges educators face today. Just as different levels of fluency require different approaches, so too do different backgrounds and languages. This practical, research-based book gives elementary school teachers the guidance they need to help ELLs of all nationalities thrive alongside their English-dominant peers.
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World War 2 and Victory Posters. (1941-1945)

World War 2 and Victory Posters. (1941-1945)
Snopkov | 2006-01-01 00:00:00 | Kontakt-Kultura | 231 | Graphic Design
More Than 200 posters about World War 2 from 1941 to 1945.
Russian description only.

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Developing Windows Error Messages: Error Messages that Communicate

Developing Windows Error Messages: Error Messages that Communicate
Ben Ezzell | 1998-04-01 00:00:00 | O'Reilly Media | 254 | Software Engineering
Although the computer industry has made enormous advances in the last 25 years, the development of error messages has somehow been left behind. Error messages have only progressed from reporting errors as numerical codes to popping up rather simple text messages. Developing Windows Error Messages focuses on the three important elements of an effective error message: notification, explanation, and solution. This book teaches C, C++, and Visual Basic programmers how to write effective error messages that notify the user of an error, clearly explain the error, and most important, offer a solution. Throughout the book the author uses examples that illustrate incomplete error messages and then describes how to make them more effective. The book also discusses methods for preventing and trapping errors before they occur and tells how to create flexible input and response routines to keep unnecessary errors from happening. The accompanying CD-ROM contains a dynamic link library, ErrorMessage.DLL, that is accessible by VB, C, C++, and MFC programs. This DLL contains routines that, when called by the programmer, will present all error messages in a standard format and provide responses for different levels of errors.
Reviews
I would agree with other comments that this book is more philosophical than technical, but I think that is a good thing. When planning a program the error handling side should be more thoroughly planned, and this book helps with just that. I found much of the book obvious, and could flip through 5 or so pages at a time, but the bits that are not so obvious are worth searching for.

If programs are written using the style of error messages and/or the error message handling process suggested within this book I feel that the user term "User Friendly" (at least in relation to errors) would actually be deserved. For instance, how many times have you come across an error that only has one action that you can take "OK"? Is it okay that the error happened? Is it okay that you can't do what you were trying to do?

Therefore I would say that this book holds much more value to the project manager/project leader/planners than programmers.

Much of what is spoken about is not OS specific (besides a bit of code). It seems that it is directly aimed at Windows 95, which is why there is no talk of NT error logs.

I found the supplied code (2 DLLs) to be a bit old but it was a simple enough to use it as a template and build on them. The dialogs within the sample code are quite user and programmer friendly and did not need altering. Using code I already had, I added database error lookup/logging, screen and system capturing, NT Event Logging, email support and COM Interface within a day. HOWEVER I feel that the supplied code is of little value to any programmer who is not planning on altering the code in some way, so it may not be much use if you don't know C++.
Reviews
Ben's book is well-written and well-edited and provides a number of useful ideas on how to write effective error handlers and error messages in the Windows environment. It's focus may seem strange to nonprogrammers, but programmers appreciate this sort of guidance on details.

However, Ben does repeat some saws or maxims which need to be deconstructed.

One is that at one time, error messages were overly terse because "there was not enough storage" to make them useful.

I find this disingenuous, because the dreamtime to which Ben is referring to is probably the early 1980s. In the early 1980s, I was as a former IBM 1401 programmer (whose first machine ten years prior had 8000 characters of storage) in awe of the possibilities of the primitive disk and tape systems then available.

On the 1401 I had developed a system which used an "overlay" and a supplemental manual procedure to provide a user with fully expounded error messages in English, and by the early 1980s, providing my users with English error messages was not a problem.

The idea that at any time "we are limited by the gear available" is to me a confession that a certain need is not important enough to warrant our time. Basically, the need of users for error messages has always been triaged and continues to be triaged in an unconscious binary opposition between the "serious" and MALE tasks of programming, and the "not serious" FEMALE task of communication. To me the first mistake was to divide these tasks.

Another old saw Ben repeats is that "programmers", in inverse proportion to their skill level or interest in being "programmers" do not like to write, or cannot write.

This saw exists in a logical dependence on an idea from outside programming which is that there is such a thing as a content-free "skill in communication". Although a convenient corporate reification, useful for example in getting rid of racial minorities, women, and older employees on the basis that they are mistreated because of a generalized lack of "communications skills", the very idea that we can speak of communication without discussing content, or for that matter simple morality, is nonsense.

"Poor communicator" may be a true generalization as applied to the actual population of programmers in the United States. However, it is belied by a maxim of hero computer scientist Edsger Dijsktra, which is that programming ability is indicated by command of the language.

To the extent that programmers write overly terse error messages they may actually be, while statistically representative of American programmers considered highly qualified, less well-qualified than they could be.

This is because the only evidence we have that the programmer understands his system is something outside code.

Ben Ezzell himself shows he's qualified by not only writing good examples of error messages but also by being aware of what the user probably needs. He does so as a programmer who can code, and it is a false humility of his to say that programming skill has nothing to do with communications skill.

Managers love to give programmers books such as Who Moved my Cheese? and The Elements of Style, probably because these books rigorously exclude the content of the programmer's work from consideration. This may be useful in some cases but basically it is an attempt to deprofessionalize, for it denies that the programmer has learned anything worthwhile.

The managerial saw is that by definition "mere programmers" do not know enough to communicate with users and require by definition an interface consisting of people who do things like review, or actually compose, error messages. But inside the corporation, resources are allocated by non-market means despite the commitment to the free market, and the practical result is that most corporate employees seek first to avoid blame and are therefore not likely to compose forceful and hard-hitting error messages because in the corporation, the messenger is killed for bad news.

I am not dismissing the need for people to perhaps specialise in technical writing or even the composition of error messages...especially for international systems. It would almost be too much to expect programmers to know multiple human languages. What I don't like is the ideology implicit in saying that we must cultivate a content free communications style. I like Ben's book because it is ABOUT both programming and communicating.

The genuine quality of this book, together with its genuine aporias, indicates a need for a definition, outside corporate hegemony, of programming. This definition is needed because if programming is implicitly defined ONLY as MIS programming, it becomes impossible to develop effective systems for the public good...as evidenced by the real problems government and not for profits have in implementing systems; because of omnipresent cost considerations, many such organizations are forced to use off-the-shelf packages which encapsulate (at a deep level) assumptions valid only for private, for profit businesses in what are called "business rules."

A critical theory would define programming, not just writing error messages or documentation, as writing and not mathematical, while at the same time realizing that many practitioners seriously underestimate the applied mathematics of programming. In the present arrangements in the US, programming is considered mathematical and numerical in some sense, thereby excluding many people who could make a contribution, while in another sense, any form of real mathematics and real logic is excluded at the critical point in the development of many systems, usually when cost constraints can be used to justify hand-waving.

If I understood what Claude Levi-Strauss was talking about in expounding a way to read a myth against its own grain rather than literally, I would be able to conclude that American programming praxis is a form of systematically misreading an Enlightenment myth. This would help me to understand why such genuine talent and ability such as Ben's is on display in books from publishers like O'Reilly whereas in practice error messages STILL confuse genuine end users.
Reviews
The book provides some clues on how errors should be considered. It spends a lot of time describing the current situation in a very verbose style. OK that's fun but not very instructive (I mean, we all know half the messages are stupid, unfounded, incomprehensible, etc.). This beeing said I would recommend the book for the same reason....
Reviews
This book contains very little meat for my taste. I can't believe that, as a book devoted to Windows error messages, it does not even mention the Windows NT Event Log anywhere! I'm returning the book since I can't find much in the book that adds to my experience.

Perhaps new programmers can learn a thing or two from this book such as the three elements of good error messages. But as an experienced developer, I'm totally disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to any of my peers.
Reviews
Great book, it read like a satire. This is the first book I have read dedicated to how to write error messages for a particular OS. I guess when your OS is full of cryptic hogwash, investigation reveals that the OS should be discarded altogether. I see a new usenet group forming: alt.badOS.poor.lowest_common_denominator.

I will keep the book as a paean to Bill Gates. Otherwise an average written book by an otherwise great publisher.

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Drafting and Assessing Poetry: A Guide for Teachers

Drafting and Assessing Poetry: A Guide for Teachers
Dr Sue Dymoke | 2003-04-14 00:00:00 | Sage Publications Ltd | 224 | Reference

Drafting and Assessing Poetry offers a range of teaching strategies for developing students' poetry writing skills, and guidance about assessment approaches. Critical commentaries combine with illustrations of successful classroom practice to consider this essential but under-explored aspect of English teaching. Based on theory but with a practical dimension, the book engages readers in current critical debates about poetry teaching and its place in an assessment- driven curriculum.

This book is for reflective practitioners, including trainee teachers, who want to develop their understanding of poetry teaching and to gain insights, which will inform classroom practice. It will also be useful for literacy co-ordinators, teacher educators and other advisory staff in the field of English teaching.

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Perspectives on Intellectual Capital: Multidisciplinary Insights Into Management, Measurement, and Reporting

Perspectives on Intellectual Capital: Multidisciplinary Insights Into Management, Measurement, and Reporting
Bernard Marr | 2005-01-19 00:00:00 | Butterworth-Heinemann | 256 | Economics
Perspectives on Intellectual Capital bridges the disciplinary gaps and facilitates knowledge transfer across disciplines, featuring views on intellectual capital from the fields of accounting, strategy, marketing, human resource management, operations management, information systems, and economics. It also offers interdisciplinary views on intellectual capital from the perspectives of public policy, knowledge management and epistemology. By analyzing the various perspectives, Editor Bernard Marr is able to present a truly comprehensive understanding of what intellectual capital is, including the "state of the art" thinking about it in each discipline, the common key trends, and the trajectories for future developments, learning, and practice.

Contributors include many of the leading thinkers in their respective disciplines: Mie Augier and David Teece on the Economic Perspective, Bernard Marr and Goran Roos on the Strategy Perspective, Baruch Lev, Leandro Canibano, and Bernard Marr on the Accounting Perspective; Sudi Sudarsanam, Ghulam Sorwar, and Bernard Marr on the Finance Perspective; Jan Mourtisen, Per Nikolaj Bukh, and Bernard Marr on the Reporting Perspective; Lisa Fernstrom on the Marketing Perspective; Ulf Johanson on the HR Perspective; L. Martin Clotier and E. Richard Gold on the Legal Perspective; Partick H. Sullivan on the Intellectual Property Perspective; Giovanni Schiuma, Antonio Lerro, and Daniela Carlucci on the Interfirm Perspective; Ahmed Bounfour and Leif Edvinsson on the Public Policy Perspective; J-C Spender and Bernard Marr on a Knowledge-Based Perspective; Goran Roos on An Epistemology Perpsective. Foreword by Robert Grant.

Bernard Marr is a Research Fellow in the Centre for Business Performance at Cranfield School of Management, UK, and Visiting Professor, University of Basilicata, Italy.

* The only interdisciplinary approach to Intellectual Capital
* Contributors are leading scholars in their fields
* Concluding chapter pulls together all the perspectives into a coherent concept of Intellectual Capital
Reviews
I find this book by Bernard Marr a masterpiece for any one interested in the field of intellectual capital. Marr systematically and thoroughly walks the reader through the broad spectrum of constructs that form part of this multi-disciplinary research field (economics, strategy, accounting, human resources, information technology, etc.). The target audience of this book is anybody interested in the field of intellectual capital, from readers relatively novel in the field, to researchers. Marr has done a terrific job in putting together this book with contributions from top experts in intellectual capital, bridging the gap between the academic and the practitioner's worlds. I enjoyed the book in its entirety, but I found the last chapter particularly enlightening, in that Marr offers an interdisciplinary overview of the evolution of intellectual capital. The chapter is the first published document I have come across that attempts to create a holistic understanding of the subject, bringing together the different perspectives. I am hopeful that this book will further enhance awareness across many related disciplines, and therefore open doors for future research cross-fertilization and collaboration. As an executive, I also highly recommend this book to anyone interested in furthering his or her thinking in a field that is critical to every business.

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The Age of Innocence

The Age of Innocence
David Hamilton | 1992-02-01 00:00:00 | Aurum Press | 220 | Erotic Photography

Accompanied by lyrical poetry, this collection showcases the nude portrait photography David Hamilton is known for.

Reviews
I saw this book some years ago. There's a window in life when everyone is at their visual peak. David Hamilton seems to specialize in presenting that time for teenage girls. Virtually taboo to talk about such stuff except in private. The photos are like still-lifes. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because I tend to feel more comfortable with nudist/naturist stuff that doesn't lean in the direction of erotica. If anyone reading wants to see true innocence, I found an Amazon DVD called FKK Workout shot in Europe. Nudist mothers and daughters enjoying a day together in the gym including aerobics. I can't imagine such comfort in the nude for 50+ women, teenage girls and pre-teen girls happening in the U.S. A treasure of a video.
Reviews
Hamilton's famous 'haze look' is clearly evident, many of his subjects poses are one dimensional. I experienced many mixed emotions upon viewing this work. On one hand, Hamilton definitely is a very talented photographer. Other photographers have borrowed his ideas and techniques. However, the book is really more about his artistic technique with a camera than about the beauty of his subjects. I purchased this along with another book on Amazon, "Holy Nature: A Celebration of Naturism". Both books are created by photographers who seek to capture the beauty of the nude and nature. However, in the Holy Nature book, you can the photography is clear and the prints large and in color. You are seeing the beauty of the female nudes and their surroundings. In this book the beauty is often obscured by a blurry or hazy black and white image.
Reviews
this book has been way over hyped, and how other reviewers can give it 4 or 5 stars is a mystery. and as far as sharing it with your children, dont bother. the work is a total wreck because somebody in the edit room took scissors to the photos and cropped the heck out of what could have been nice frames. why did they crop the photo's taking nearly all of the image of the subject away? the intent of the book, expressions of that time in a young womans life have been multilated with down-sizing the picture's frame, as if they were ashamed to show the human figure here. the book is a dissapointment, and I cant honestly recommend it. as well, the final closing of the book was rather dis-tasteful, cheaping and degrading the spirit of how the book is marketed. the sleazy ending made the entire experience worthy of the fireplace. the text, rather borish and ill suited as if an amateurish attempt to add some style to the already cropped and meaningless photos. dont bother with this work.
Reviews
The reputation of Hamilton suggested that this would be a valuable book on the subjects of his photography. While the quality of the paper and the printing was excellent, the photos fell short of what I had expected.

There was far too much cropping of the photos, leaving out too much of the photo image. That was very disappointing. The artistic presentation and the verses for each photo were excellent.



Next time, show the complete subject of the photo - - - don't cut off so much.
Reviews



Lectori Salutem,



In the Beauty of young human beings, lies the hope of the world.

Those photographs are like classical music.

Some people are afraid of the power glowing from the portrets ,

and start a witch hunt. Don't do it. Never lose an opportunity to seen anything that is beautiful: For beauty is God's handwriting.(R W Emerson)



Ferdinand Huismans.





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Global Freemasonry

Global Freemasonry
Harun Yahya | 2002-01-01 00:00:00 | Global Publishing | 212 | Subjects
After reading this book, you will be able to consider many subjects, from philosophical schools to newspaper headlines, rock music songs to political perspectives, with a deeper understanding, and discern the meaning and aims behind events and phenomena.

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Chinese American Transnationalism: The Flow of People, Resources, and Ideas between China and America During the Exclusion Era (Asian American History & Cultu)

Chinese American Transnationalism: The Flow of People, Resources, and Ideas between China and America During the Exclusion Era (Asian American History & Cultu)
Sucheng Chan | 2005-12-28 00:00:00 | Temple University Press | 312 | 20th Century
Chinese American Transnationalism considers the many ways in which Chinese living in the United States during the exclusion era maintained ties with China through a constant interchange of people and economic resources, as well as political and cultural ideas. This book continues the exploration of the exclusion era begun in two previous volumes: Entry Denied, which examines the strategies that Chinese Americans used to protest, undermine, and circumvent the exclusion laws; and Claiming America, which traces the development of Chinese American ethnic identities. Taken together, the three volumes underscore the complexities of the Chinese immigrant experience and the ways in which its contexts changed over the sixty-one year period.

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When Cooperation Fails: The International Law and Politics of Genetically Modified Foods

When Cooperation Fails: The International Law and Politics of Genetically Modified Foods
Mark A. Pollack,Gregory C. Shaffer | 2009-07-15 00:00:00 | Oxford University Press, USA | 456 | International Law
The transatlantic dispute over genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has brought into conflict the United States and the European Union, two long-time allies and economically interdependent democracies with a long record of successful cooperation. Yet the dispute - pitting a largely acceptant US against an EU deeply suspicious of GMOs - has developed into one of the most bitter and intractable transatlantic and global conflicts, resisting efforts at negotiated resolution and resulting in a bitterly contested legal battle before the World Trade Organization.

Professors Pollack and Shaffer investigate the obstacles to reconciling regulatory differences among nations through international cooperation, through the lens of the GMO dispute. The book addresses the dynamic interactions of domestic law and politics, transnational networks, international regimes, and global markets, through a theoretically grounded and empirically comprehensive analysis of the governance of GM foods and crops. They demonstrate that the deeply politicized, entrenched and path-dependent nature of the regulation of GMOs in the US and the EU has fundamentally shaped negotiations and decision-making at the international level, limiting the prospects for deliberation and providing incentives for both sides to engage in hard bargaining and to "shop" for favorable international forums. They then assess the impacts, and the limits, of international pressures on domestic US and European law, politics and business practice, which have remained strikingly resistant to change.

International cooperation in areas like GMO regulation, the authors conclude, must overcome multiple obstacles, legal and political, domestic and international. Any effective response to this persistent dispute, they argue, must recognize both the obstacles to successful cooperation, and the options that remain for each side when cooperation fails.

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The Zero-Sum Society: Distribution and the Possibilities for Economic Change

The Zero-Sum Society: Distribution and the Possibilities for Economic Change
Lester C. Thurow | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | Basic Books | 230 | Economics
A classic in economics from the three-time New York Times best seller. Written during a period of acute economic stagnation in 1980, The Zero-Sum Society discusses the human implications of economic problem solving. Interpreting macroeconomics as a zero-sum game, Thurow proposes that the American economy will not solve its most trenchant problems-inflation, slow economic growth, the environment-until the political economy can support, in theory and in practice, the idea that certain members of society will have to bear the brunt of taxation and other government-sponsored economic actions. As relevant today as it was twenty years ago, The Zero-Sum Society offers a classic set of recommendations about the best way to balance government stewardship of the economy and the free-market aspirations of upwardly mobile Americans.
Reviews
Having worked on Wall Street for 25 years, by and from experience I can assert that ANY economic behavior by any human does entail a marginal error toward/from the misinterpreted phrase "zero sum game.Simply research historic Federal Reserve monetary policy to understand this, let alone structured finance!

Prof. Thurow's point is that the US political economy, its citizens, and those "elites" who make its policy are asymetrically informed. Sooner or later, the US has to restructure its misapplication of redistributing wealth; hence the shock of the 70's, the long-term mess Regan has left; the stock bubble of the mid-90's; the current housing bubble. Another shock a la 1973 and 1978 might redirect this country's "elites'" thinking towards more long-term pragmatic lines.
Reviews
Couldn't agree with the previous review. Even the title is wrong. The economy... any economy is NEVER a zero-sum game. Here is a quote from the author: "Can economic command significantly... accelerate the growth process? The remarkable performance of the Soviet Union suggests that it can... Today the Soviet Union is a country whose economic achievements bear comparison with those of the United States." That was in 1989, JUST BEFORE the Soviet system collapsed. How can anyone be more wrong? Unfortunately, these people teach our kids.
Reviews
This book was a sensation when it first appeared in 1980.
But then something unexpected (by Thurow at least) happened. Ronald Reagan was elected President and ignited a period of spectacular economic growth, coupled with low inflation and high employment, that lasted through the next two administrations - thus proving Thurow totally wrong!
Why do publishers keep reprinting books that have been invalidated by history? Why not allow then to sink silently into the dustbin of failed theories where they belong?
As Charlie Chan once said: Theory like mist on eyeglasses. Obscures facts.
Reviews
This was one of the most readable non-fiction books I've ever come across. It's written in clear effective English and makes its point (mainly through repetition) very well.

Thurow has one basic idea - that the American economy was paralysed in the 1970s because of the variety of groups (upper-class versus lower-class, blacks versus whites, industrial versus agricultural etc.) with conflicting interests that made it impossible for the government to undertake effective policies. As such, this book seems pretty commonsensical and hardly revolutionary nor particularly enlightening. Thurow takes us through the various economic problems that the US faced at the time to show how this is the case.

This problem appears to be the combined flaw of democracy - that people have a say in how the country is run - although he didn't explore that; and capitalism - the doctrine of self-interest. The groups all want to protect themselves. This means that any change will inevitably be vetoed/subject to prolonged protest by at least one group - namely, the group that will have to suffer (by seeing their incomes decline) so that the rest of the economy can benefit. This shows up in the protection of inefficient industries such as steel and textiles, the unwillingness to impose strict income and price controls etc. In effect, the economy will continue to stay stagnant until certain groups are imposed on for the sake of everyone else.

He also makes the interesting case that inflation was not really a problem, backing this up with statistics that show that the average American's standard of living rose; and income differences didn't widen. Rather, it was a matter of perception and psychology.

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Negotiation and the Global Information Economy

Negotiation and the Global Information Economy
J. P. Singh | 2008-12-15 00:00:00 | Cambridge University Press | 380 | Leadership
What role do diplomacy and negotiations play in economic globalization? Many argue that great powers shape diplomacy to their advantage, others that, in a 'flat world', diplomacy helps everyone. Going beyond these polarized views, this book explores the conditions under which negotiations matter and the ways in which diplomacy is evolving in the global commercial arena. J. P. Singh argues that where there is a diffusion or decentralization of power among global actors, diplomacy can be effective in allowing the adjustment of positions so that mutual gains will result. In contrast, when there is a concentration of power, outcomes tend to benefit the strong. There will be little alteration in perception of interest, and coercion by strong powers is common. Singh's book suggests that there are possibilities for transformational problem-solving through multilateral diplomacy. Empirically, the book examines the most important information-age trade issues.

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Art Matters: A Critical Commentary on Heideggers The Origin of the Work of Art

Art Matters: A Critical Commentary on Heideggers The Origin of the Work of Art
K. Harries | 2009-01-01 00:00:00 | Springer; 1 edition | 216 | Non-fiction
In recent years there has been a great deal of talk about a possible death of art. As the title of Heidegger’s “The Origin of the Work of Art” suggests, the essay challenges such talk, just as it in turn is challenged by such talk, talk that is supported by the current state of the art-world. It was Hegel, who most profoundly argued that the shape of our modern world no longer permits us to grant art the significance it once possessed. Hegel’s proclamation of the end of art in its highest sense shadows this commentary, as it shadows Heidegger’s essay. Heidegger’s problematic turn from the philosopher Hegel to the poet Holderlin is born of the conviction that we must not allow Hegel to here have the last word. At stake is the future of art. But more importantly, if we are to accept Heidegger’s argument, at stake is the future of humanity. But all who are eager to find in Heidegger’s essay pointers concerning where not just art, but we should be heading, should be made wary by Heidegger’s politicizing of art and aestheticizing of politics. Both remain temptations that demand a critical response. This commentary demonstrates the continued relevance of Heidegger’s reflections.
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Grammar Practice Book, Grade 6

Grammar Practice Book, Grade 6
Macmillan ed | 2000-01-01 00:00:00 | Macmillan/Mcgraw-Hill School | 200 | English
Macmillan ed., "Grammar Practice Book, Grade 6"
Macmillan/Mcgraw-Hill School | 2000 | ISBN: 0021856494 | 200 pages | PDF | 2 MB

This Grammar Practice Book supports and extends grammar instruction. It includes writing applications to provide additional writing support, and offers additional instruction for grammar usage and mechanics. Student progress is monitored through grammar assessments.
Reading age for native speakers: Middle School students (6th grade)
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Competitive Advantage in SMEs: Organising for Innovation and Change

Competitive Advantage in SMEs: Organising for Innovation and Change
Oswald Jones,Fiona Tilley | 2003-04-21 00:00:00 | Wiley | 292 | Management
SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) comprise 990f all businesses in the UK, account for 550f non-governmental jobs and provide 510f the national turnover. Competitive Advantage in SMEs, Organising for Innovation and Change draws on the experience of staff at Manchester Metropolitan University, focusing on how smaller firms can improve company performance to create and sustain long-term competitive advantage.

The book draws on up-to-date empirical data and the latest research to illustrate ways in which SMEs can become:

More innovative by introducing new products and services

More effective through better use of information technology

More efficient by broadening management skills and knowledge

Competitive Advantage in SMEs, Organising for Innovation and Change has been written for final year undergraduate students and postgraduate students studying small business management. It will also be a valuable resource for those already owning and managing small firms.

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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Computer Basics, 2E

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Computer Basics, 2E
Joe Kraynak | 2001-01-01 00:00:00 | Alpha | 456 | Computers (Other)
The Complete Idiot's GuideA (R) to Computer Basics, Second Edition will build from the previous edition on teaching PC users the kind of computer capabilities that can enrich their lives and make their PC system one of their most beneficial tools in the home or office. Even more than The Complete Idiot's GuideA (R) to PCs, this a 'how to book' that takes an application- and task- specific approach to computers.

Book Info
Simple lessons to start 'newbies,' or inexperienced computer users, off on the path to computer proficiency. Offers steps for setting up a computer for maximum efficiency, and for making computer use more fun and less frustrating. Explains Windows, Web surfing, and other popular computer activities.
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Icons of American Architecture - From the Alamo to the World Trade Center

Icons of American Architecture - From the Alamo to the World Trade Center
Donald Langmead | 2009-01-01 00:00:00 | Greenwood press | 612 | Misc
Worshipped and cursed. Loved and loathed. Obsessed about the world over. What does it take to become an icon? Regardless of subject, culture, or era, the requisite qualifi cations are the same: (1) challenge the status quo, (2) infl uence millions, and (3) affect history. Using these criteria, Greenwood Press introduces a new reference format and approach to popular culture. Spanning a wide range of subjects, volumes in the Greenwood Icons series provide students and general readers a port of entry into the most fascinating and infl uential topics of the day.
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The Sience Of Making Money Online

The Sience Of Making Money Online
Stone Evans | 2008-01-01 00:00:00 | | 1 | Finances and Money
The Sience Of Making Money Online gives you a fine introduction of how to make money being online.

The interesting fact is that you can easily use Stone`s system anytime you want with as many internet businesses you like.

This book let you learn how to make your Web site attractive, interesting, engaging and interactive; how to use expired domains to skyrocket your traffic; how to build and maintain your credibility online; discover which businesses are succeeding online and why; how to set up back-end and cross-selling campaigns to explode your profits; what you must do to get high rankings in all the major search engines; pay-per-click search engine techniques to unleash a tidal wave of traffic to your site.
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The Business and Practice of Coaching: Finding Your Niche, Making Money, and Attracting Ideal Clients

The Business and Practice of Coaching: Finding Your Niche, Making Money, and Attracting Ideal Clients
Lynn Grodzki, Wendy Allen | 2005-01-01 00:00:00 | W. W. Norton & Company | 320 | Finances and Money
Focusing on basic business principles and strategies.

The initial hype about coaching has deflated, and the profession is coming down to earth. This book explains the current state of the coaching profession and offers basic advice and strategies so that you can plan your practice to operate well on the contemporary business terrain. Whether you are an established coach or just starting out, this book is for you.
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Great Ideas in Computer Science with Java

Great Ideas in Computer Science with Java
AW Biermann | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | MIT Press | 563 | Java
Product Description
This volume presents the "great ideas" of computer science, condensing a large amount of complex material into a manageable, accessible form; it does so using the Java programming language. The book is based on the problem-oriented approach that has been so successful in traditional quantitative sciences. For example, the reader learns about database systems by coding one in Java, about system architecture by reading and writing programs in assembly language, about compilation by hand-compiling Java statements into assembly language, and about noncomputability by studying a proof of noncomputability and learning to classify problems as either computable or noncomputable. The book covers an unusually broad range of material at a surprisingly deep level. It also includes chapters on networking and security. Even the reader who pursues computer science no further will acquire an understanding of the conceptual structure of computing and information technology that every well-informed citizen should have.
About the Author
Alan W. Biermann is Professor of Computer Science and Dietolf Ramm is Associate Professor of the Practice of Computer Science at Duke University. Biermann is the author of the first two editions of Great Ideas in Computer Science (MIT Press, 1990, 1997). Ramm is Director of Undergraduate Studies at Duke.
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L'Homme est-il Responsable du Rechauffement Climatique? [FRENCH]

L'Homme est-il Responsable du Rechauffement Climatique? [FRENCH]
Andre Legendre | 2009-01-01 00:00:00 | EDP Sciences | 308 | Astronomy and Cosmology
C'est certain, nous sommes tous responsables ; c'est d'ailleurs l'unanimite chez les politiques, les ecologistes ou les medias : l'Homme et ses rejets de CO2 sont en passe de provoquer un rechauffement climatique majeur dont les consequences seront dramatiques...

Mais cette attribution est-elle incontestable ? Sommes-nous vraiment responsables de la montee des oceans et de la fonte estivale de la banquise arctique ? ce rechauffement annonce est-il sans precedent ? et le CO2, si indispensable a la vie, est-il la cause de nos malheurs ?

Les reponses trop communement affirmees sont peut-etre plus complexes et la question climatique plus subtile qu'il n'y parait...
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Processing and Properties of Nanocomposites

Processing and Properties of Nanocomposites
Suresh G. Advani | 2006-01-01 00:00:00 | World Scientific Publishing Company | 460 | Chemistry
Nanotechnology is progressing very rapidly. This book focuses on carbon nanotubes and nano clays and explore their importance and roles in composites. Hence, the chapters address processing, rheology, mechanical properties and their interaction with fiber composites. Written by renowned researchers, this book is a collection of nine chapters which embrace the role of nano particles in composites. The first three chapters focus on the use of carbon nanotubes in composites. Chapter 4 explores the interaction between traditional fiber composites and the use of nano particles in terms of benefits and property enhancement in addition to the processing of such materials. Chapter 5 discusses in detail the rheology of suspensions that contain nanofibers and how one can modify existing models to describe their flow behavior. Chapters 6 through 9 address nano clay composites.
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Isometric Power Revolution: Mastering the Secrets of Lifelong Strength, Health, and Youthful Vitality

Isometric Power Revolution: Mastering the Secrets of Lifelong Strength, Health, and Youthful Vitality
John E. Peterson | 2007-01-01 00:00:00 | Bronze Bow Publishing | 288 | Self-development
Isometrics Power Revolution is the most comprehensive and effective Isometrics fitness and training system ever devised, created to powerfully strengthen and sculpt every muscle in the entire body without the risk of joint and spine injury or muscle tears that come with weightlifting.

The power of Isometrics training lies in being taught how to perform it correctly. Veteran strength and conditioning coach John e. Peterson shows you precisely how to use Isometrics to reshape your physique and add strength beyond your imagination without ever moving a muscle!

Says Peterson: I ll show you how the most effective Isometric training techniques and exercises that will help you develop lean, perfectly sculpted muscles, shed unwanted and unhealthy weight, and achieve that unmistakable youthful glow without ever having to go to a gym, lift weights, or invest in expensive equipment.

In Isometric Power Revolution, you ll have fingertip access to:

* A complete and comprehensive training program of the best Isometric exercises designed to strengthen and sculpt every muscle group in your body.
* Hundreds of clear, detailed photos showing every facet of every Isometric exercise-most of which can be performed anytime, anyplace.
* An amazing History of Isometrics that convincingly demonstrates why Isometric Contraction is the most scientifically validated approach to strength training and body sculpting.
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Gold Trading Boot Camp: How to Master the Basics and Become a Successful Commodities Investor

Gold Trading Boot Camp: How to Master the Basics and Become a Successful Commodities Investor
Gregory T. Weldon, Dennis Gartman | 2007-01-01 00:00:00 | Wiley | 368 | Economy
Praise for Gold Trading Boot Camp

"If speculate you must, read Weldon first."
—James Grant, Editor, Grant's Interest Rate Observer

"This book delivers on all of the essential elements of successful financial literature. Weldon provides a compelling context, walks through the metrics that affect the price action, and assimilates the decision-making process in kind. From soup to nuts, this is one of the most comprehensive tutorials I've read on the subject of commodities."
—Todd Harrison, founder and CEO, Minyanville Publishing and Multimedia, LLC

"The gold price is rising in today's turbulent financial times. Preparation and knowledge are essential to profit from higher prices, and this book provides everything you need to take advantage of the trading opportunities thatlie ahead."
—James Turk, founder, GoldMoney.com

"This book, with its insights into the current investment climate coincides with what many feel is a new bull market in gold. There is no 'one-size-fits-all' investment approach, but every investor who applies such preparation and rigor as Greg outlines will certainly have increased returns with fewer losses. It should be on every investor's bookshelf, handy for reference, and re-read every year. Greg puts paid to the notion of random walk!"
—Kim Evans, CEO, Global Building and Supply
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Polymer Synthesis: Theory and Practice: Fundamentals, Methods, Experiments

Polymer Synthesis: Theory and Practice: Fundamentals, Methods, Experiments
Dietrich Braun,Harald Cherdron,Matthias Rehahn,H. Ritter,Brigitte Voit | 2004-12-22 00:00:00 | Springer | 385 | Engineering

The basic concept of this new edition remains unchanged: Emphasis is again put on a broader description of the general methods and processes for the synthesis, modification and characterization of macromolecules. These more fundamental chapters will be supplemented by 115 selected and detailed experiments. In addition to the preparative aspects the book also gives the reader an impression on the relation of chemical constitution and morphology of Polymers to their properties, as well as on their application areas. Thus, an additional textbook will not be needed in order to understand the experiments.

The 4th edition nevertheless contains numerous changes: Chapter 1 and 2 are enlarged, 15 older examples have been replaced by new ones and background text is added. Suitable for students in organic and polymer chemistry as well as for chemists in industry who want to acquaint themselves with the theoretical and practical aspects of macromolecular chemistry.

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The Market Guys' Five Points for Trading Success: Identify, Pinpoint, Strike, Protect and Act!

The Market Guys' Five Points for Trading Success: Identify, Pinpoint, Strike, Protect and Act!
A. J. Monte,Rick Swope | 2008-01-02 00:00:00 | Wiley | 336 | Investing
Praise for The Market Guys' Five Points for Trading Success

"E*TRADE is a strong advocate of investor education, understanding a knowledgeable investor is a successful investor. The Market Guys have been a key contributor to our worldwide educational efforts - delivering hundreds of seminars to our customers around the world. This book encapsulates their years of experience with traders and investors, and is a must-read for anyone serious about trading. The Market Guys' Five Points for Trading Success provides an easy-to-understand and disciplined approach to trading through risk management. I highly recommend it."

Christopher Larkin, VP, U.S. Retail Brokerage, E*TRADE Securities (www.etrade.com)

"The stock market is full of risk and uncertainty, but can bring great rewards to those who plan and execute properly. Rick and AJ give you the navigational tools to profit in the market through this book. Easy to read and understand, this book will help the novice and expert alike reach their financial goals. I recommend The Market Guys to help you along your journey!"

Astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11, 1969

"The Market Guys' Five Points is much more than five points. Creating a plan, dealing with emotions, trading psychology, and technical analysis are just some of the topics explained."

James Bittman, Senior Instructor, The Options Institute at CBOE, and author of Options for the Stock Investor

"Most people think trading markets is easy, but the process is fraught with pitfalls, snares, and delusions. This book is written by two savvy veteran traders. Applying the wisdom contained here will not guarantee success, but it will very definitely put the odds strongly in your favor."

Martin J. Pring, President of pring.com

"This is a wonderful introduction to terminology and a fresh approach to the stock market. It gives the reader a language and way of thinking that is new, providing a great foundation for further research. These authors are to be commended for an excellent book on the stock market and how it works."

James P. Gills, MD, Director/Chairman of the Board of the Ironman Triathlon

"The Market Guys have created the perfect recipe for financial success."

Nick Nickolas, Restaurateur, Nick's Fishmarket of Hawaii, www.nicksboca.com
Reviews
Not only do I own this book, I attended a seminar hosted by one of the large brokerage houses, with The Market Guys as speakers. If you ever - EVER - have an opportunity to hear these guys, do so. Not only are they successful and articulate, they are just fine guys. Both of them spoke about their personal circumstances and their roads to success, which one might expect, but their focus was on living a right life and leaving a legacy of good. I always love to hear successful people credit the Creator. These two know who they are and what they are doing. And the book is excellent. Do yourself a favor and get acquainted with them.
Reviews
I am a beginner in trading, and this book helped me with strategies, and tactics. Highly recommend the book


Reviews
This is a great book for people just starting out in stocks. I highly recommend it!
Reviews
This book lays out a good strategy for trend analysis and profit-taking. It sets clearly defined goals and details good examples. However, after testing some of the strategies in the book, I've found that the current market's share price volatility often overwhelms the micro-trends used to define stop-loss values. Overall though, I think this book is definitely a keeper!
Reviews
This book provides basic concepts that work with all types of trading (ie. day trading, taking swing positions for momentum plays or for making long-term trades). I would recommend this book to just about anyone as it is a fairly straightforward read.

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