Sunday 6 March 2011

Cracking the TOEIC (Book and Audio)



Cracking the TOEIC (Book and Audio)
Princeton Review | 2003-06-10 00:00:00 | Princeton Review | 352 | English
The Princeton Review realizes that acing the TOEIC is very different from getting straight A’s in school. We don't try to teach you everything there is to know about English–only what you'll need to score higher on the exam. There's a big difference. In Cracking the TOEIC, we'll teach you how to think like the test writers and

·Eliminate answer choices that look right but are planted to fool you
·Ace the Reading and Listening Comprehension sections of the exam
·Raise your score by making the most of your time and knowing what to expect

This book includes 2 full-length practice TOEIC exams, plus two audio CDs with listening exercises and a full transcript. The questions and exercises are like the ones you’ll see on the actual TOEIC.
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Reclaiming a Plundered Past: Archaeology and Nation Building in Modern Iraq



Reclaiming a Plundered Past: Archaeology and Nation Building in Modern Iraq
Magnus T. Bernhardsson | 2006-01-02 00:00:00 | University of Texas Press | 348 | Early Civilization
The looting of the Iraqi National Museum in April of 2003 provoked a world outcry at the loss of artefacts regarded as part of humanity's shared cultural patrimony. But though the losses were unprecedented in scale, the museum looting was hardly the first time that Iraqi heirlooms had been plundered or put to political uses. From the beginning of archaeology as a modern science in the nineteenth century, Europeans excavated and appropriated Iraqi antiquities as relics of the birth of Western civilization. Since Iraq was created in 1921, the modern state has used archaeology to forge a connection to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and/or Islamic empires and so build a sense of nationhood among Iraqis of differing religious traditions and ethnicities.This book delves into the ways that archaeology and politics intertwined in Iraq during the British Mandate and the first years of nationhood before World War II. Magnus Bernhardsson begins with the work of British archaeologists who conducted extensive excavations in Iraq and sent their finds to the museums of Europe. He then traces how Iraqis' growing sense of nationhood led them to confront the British over antiquities law and the division of archaeological finds between Iraq and foreign excavators. He shows how Iraq's control over its archaeological patrimony was directly tied to the balance of political power and how it increased as power shifted to the Iraqi government. Finally he examines how Iraqi leaders, including Saddam Hussein, have used archaeology and history to legitimize the state and its political actions.
Reviews
Alexander H. Joffe said that Archaeology is invariably politicized; in this revision of a Yale University dissertation, Bernhardsson shows that in Iraq the battle was primarily imperialist British military officers and diplomats versus nationalist Iraqi politicians and educators.



On the British side, many of the figures in this surprisingly conventional diplomatic and social history are familiar. Lord Curzon, and Winston Churchill, British Museum keeper Frederick Kenyon, and archaeologist H.R. Hall are shown deeply engaged in exchanging memos about the status of sites, collections, and excavation permits. The formidable romantic Gertrude Bell oversaw the new department of antiquities and interjected herself into all matters as part of her personal nation-building efforts.



On the Iraqi side, were those politicians and educators, not archaeologists, who exploited the past as it was being recovered during the golden age of Mesopotamian discovery (after World War I) to construct a variety of glorious pasts (primarily Assyrian, Babylonian, and Abbasid) that would stand as prelude to a precarious future. Archaeology served them as another means of creating a nation.



Iraqis correctly believed archaeology to be important to the British and saw it as another front to press for full political and cultural independence. Nationalists like Sati' al-Husri, director general of education (and later director of antiquities), newspaper editorialists, and politicians, including prime minister Rashid `Ali Gaylani, debated general policy and minutiae such as the end-of-season division of excavation finds. Their interpretations of archaeological finds and epochs followed larger trends, as pan-Arabism gave way to Iraqi particularism and then back to pan-Arabism, alternately privileging the equally artificial "Arab nation" or "Iraq."



Refreshingly, Edward Said and Orientalism barely appear in this well-researched volume. Although the introductory chapter is overlong and the discussion of Iraq ends somewhat abruptly in 1936, making the concluding chapter on the subsequent seventy years rather cursory, the volume takes a quantum leap forward in the study of archaeology and nationalism.

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Kamikaze Attacks of World War II: A Complete History of Japanese Suicide Strikes on American Ships, by Aircraft and Other Means



Kamikaze Attacks of World War II: A Complete History of Japanese Suicide Strikes on American Ships, by Aircraft and Other Means
Robin L. Rielly | 2010-08-02 00:00:00 | McFarland | 384 | Japan
Drawing on U.S. government reports, interrogation reports of Japanese officers, ship action reports and secondary sources, this book details more than 400 kamikaze attacks by Japanese aircraft, manned torpedoes, suicide boats and suicide swimmers against U.S. ships during World War II. Part One focuses on the traditions, development and history of the kamikazes, including the origins of the samurai class and its ethos, the development of kamikaze aircraft and watercraft, and the indoctrination of children in the Japanese school system. Part Two details the kamikaze attacks on ships in the waters around the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Taiwan, Okinawa and Japan. Appendices list all of the U.S. ships suffering kamikaze attacks along with casualty figures, outlines and silhouettes of various U.S. ships involved in kamikaze attacks, and silhouettes of Japanese kamikaze aircraft.

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Organic Synthesis with Enzymes in Non-Aqueous Media



Organic Synthesis with Enzymes in Non-Aqueous Media
Giacomo Carrea,Sergio Riva | 2008-04-15 00:00:00 | Wiley-VCH | 328 | Organic
Closing a gap in the literature, this comprehensive book examines and discusses different non-aqueous systems from organic solvents to ionic liquids for synthetic applications, thus opening the door to new successful methods for biocatalytic reactions. It gathers into one handy source the information otherwise widely spread throughout the literature, combining useful background information with a number of synthetic examples, including industrial scale processes for pharmaceutical and fine chemicals.

Extremely well structured, the text introduces the fundamentals of non-aqueous enzymology, before going on to new reaction media and synthetic applications using hydrolases and non-hydrolytic enzymes.

The one-stop reference for everyone working in this hot field.

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SharePoint 2010 as a Development Platform



SharePoint 2010 as a Development Platform
Joerg Krause, Christian Langhirt | 2010-01-01 00:00:00 | Apress | 116 | .NET
SharePoint is gaining recognition as a full-fledged application server with many features and enhancements that specifically allow non-developers to create sophisticated intranet sites. However, with the 2010 release, Microsoft’s SharePoint increasingly becomes a compelling development platform. The strong application programming interface (API), its highly extensible nature, and its foundation on the underlying .NET Framework all generate “the perfect storm” to make it one of the most powerful web development platforms available.
However, with power comes complexity. The wide range of usage scenarios make it difficult for developers to grasp the full ability of this next-generation platform. This book takes an in-depth, all-encompassing approach to programming concepts, the extensibility interfaces, and how to embrace SharePoint as a toolkit full of features available to web developers.
Take an in-depth look into the internals of SharePoint.
Create sophisticated applications using SharePoint controls and databases.
Understand the API and use in conjunction with ASP.NET to extend SharePoint.
SharePoint is more than a portal and more than an intranet. Harness its capabilities and put it to work for you.

What you’ll learn
The hierarchy of SharePoint’s API
How to create rich, extensible, and broad SharePoint applications
How to use SharePoint’s internals
How to approach SharePoint as an open toolkit rather than a closed, intranet-only model
How to take advantage of SharePoint’s extensibility and customize its behavior

Who is this book for?
This book is for ASP.NET developers who want to create applications using SharePoint as a platform. It’s also for users of SharePoint Designer that want to professionalize their development work.
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Preservation of Fertility



Preservation of Fertility
Togas Tulandi,Roger Gordon Gosden | 2004-05-15 00:00:00 | Informa Healthcare | 300 | Internal Medicine
This pioneering and contemporary book addresses how to preserve fertility after the effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy on the gonads of women, men, and children. It reviews and forecasts developments in fertility preservation involving surgery, drug-based protocols and cryopreservation of spermatozoa, oocytes, embryos, and testicular and ovarian tissue. Each chapter contains extensive illustrations and a full bibliography. Edited by two renowned authors - a clinician and a scientist - Preservation of Fertility is the first book devoted to this topic written for all those involved in reproductive medicine and assisted conception.

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The Philosophy of The X-Files



The Philosophy of The X-Files
Dean A. Kowalski PhD | 2009-03-27 00:00:00 | | 0 | Philosophy
I'm a completely unabashed X-files fan. My wife and I lived without TV for 12 years and never viewed an episode until we purchased 9 years worth of DVD boxed sets here on amazon and watched them all over a single winter.
I am also an unabashed fan of the "Philosophy of the X-files." The concepts, theories and inner angst of Mulder and Scully demanded a philosophical examination directed to present day society and this collection of thought provoking essay's edited by Dean A. Kowalski, who was also a major contributor, does an excellent job.
I have added this book to my collection of X-files reference books and if you'd like to delve beneath the surface of the unique way the X-files views the world around us i recommend this book.
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The Concept of Probability in Statistical Physics (Cambridge Studies in Probability, Induction and Decision Theory)



The Concept of Probability in Statistical Physics (Cambridge Studies in Probability, Induction and Decision Theory)
Y. M. Guttmann | 1999-07-13 00:00:00 | Cambridge University Press | 280 | Philosophy
Foundational issues in statistical mechanics and the more general question of how probability is to be understood in the context of physical theories are both areas that have been neglected by philosophers of physics. This book fills an important gap in the literature by providing the most systematic study to date of how to interpret probabilistic assertions in the context of statistical mechanics. The book will be of particular interest to philosophers of science, physicists and mathematicians interested in foundational issues, and also to historians of science.
Reviews
As a specialist on statistical physics and its history, I found this book rather disappointing, misleading and conceptually confused. Be warned that the book is evidently written from a specific perspective of a philosopher who strongly prefers an ontic ("frequentists") interpretation of probability, basically in a spirit of the old Boltzmann-Ehrenfest ideology and its conceptual difficulties. Consequently, Guttmann puts undue emphasis on struggles with ergodicity, coarse-graining, etc., whilst not showing too much sympathy and understanding for epistemically thinking schools of statistical physics (Gibbs, Bohr, Schroedinger, Jaynes, etc.).

One of principal Guttmann's mistakes was his choice of a language he uses for labelling different interpretations of probability. His labelling by the terms "objective" and "subjective" is doomed to failure from the very beginning, and just adds to some old confusions and misunderstandings. In the real-world statistical physics, it is easy to show that the ontic nterpretations of probabilities always possess many "subjective" aspects whilst the epistemic views of probabilities bring some important "objective" aspects. Thus, any finer discussion of different interpretations of probabilities in physics can hardly be rationally based on the naive and misleading "subjective" vs. "objective" labelling.

The book is particularly far from reality when dealing with Edwin T. Jaynes and his information-theoretic interpretation of statistical mechanics. It almost seems that Guttmann's major motivation for writting the book was his obvious hostility to Jaynes' ideas. Guttmann is double-wrong concerning Jaynes: he is wrong about true Jaynes' probabilistic legacy, opinions and interpretations. But he is also confusing the very rationale of statistical physics. It is just paradoxical that Guttmann uses a label "ultra-subjective" for a man who contributed more than anybody after Gibbs to clarify, rationalize and generalize the whole subject of statistical physics. Guttmann is just repeating some old misunderstandings and naive attacks (e.g., by Uhlenbeck, Shimony, Friedman or Seidenfeld) which Jaynes analyzed in details in his many papers. However, these important papers are not even mentioned by Guttmann.

Relatively more successfull, original and interesting appears the Ch. 4, Measure and Topology in Statistical Mechanics.

In summary, Guttmann's book does contain some valuable reference material, and the very topic of the book is extremely important. Unfortunately, Dr. Guttmann did not succeed to elaborate a concise and logical view of the topic, but rather added his own confusions and misunderstandings concerning different conceptual aspects of probability theory in statistical physics. Fundamentally distorted and biased is his treatment of Jaynes' ideas, his interpretation of Gibbs method, and his perception of epistemic probabilities in physics in general.

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A Pragmatic Analysis of Legal Proofs of Criminal Intent (Discourse Approaches to Politics, Soceity and Culture)



A Pragmatic Analysis of Legal Proofs of Criminal Intent (Discourse Approaches to Politics, Soceity and Culture)
Sol Azuelos-Atias | 2007-07-26 00:00:00 | John Benjamins Publishing Co | 180 | Criminal Law

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Essays on the Aristotelian Tradition



Essays on the Aristotelian Tradition
Sir Anthony Kenny | 2001-01-11 00:00:00 | Oxford University Press, USA | 192 | History of Ideas
Aristotle has arguably been the most influential of all philosophers. This selection of works by Aristotle, along with essays by Aristotle scholar Anthony Kenny, traces the philosopher's profound influence throughout the ages. It covers in-depth his ethics and philosophy of mind and shows how they provided the framework for fruitful developments in the Middle Ages as well as in the present day. It also includes various contributions to the most recent form of Aristotelian scholarship: computer-assisted stylometry. Anyone who has ever been fascinated by Aristotle's brilliant insight and intellectual legacy will be delighted with this engaging collection.

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Law in a Digital World



Law in a Digital World
| 1995-05-25 00:00:00 | | 0 | Miscellaneous


The world of law is a world of information. Rules, judgments, decisions, interpretations, and agreements all involve using and communicating information. Today, we are experiencing a significant transition, from letters fixed on paper to information stored electronically. The digital era, where information is created, stored, and communicated electronically, is quickly approaching, if not already here. The future of law will no longer be found in impressive buildings and leather-bound books, but in small pieces of silicon, in streams of light, and in millions of miles of wires and cable. It will be a world of new relationships and greater possibilities for individual and group communication, an environment where the value of information increases as it is shared.

In Law in a Digital world, M. Ethan Katsh explores how these new technologies will alter one of our most central institutions. He considers the different ways in which people will not only electronically read and write, but also interact with our vast storehouses of legal knowledge and information. He envisions how sounds and pictures will play into the largely imageless print world of law, and looks at the future importance of graphic and nontextual communication. He explores how the flexible, personalized organization of data will transform the way we gather information, and whether information can or cannot be contained, raising questions of copyright and privacy. What happens to the law when information is more plentiful and accessible? What happens to those people who suddenly have access to information never before available? Does the use of information in a new form change the institution, the user, and those who come in contact with the user? And, what role does the lawyer play in all of this? For citizens, for lawyers, for all those who will be part of the digital world rushing toward us, Katsh answers these questions while considering the implications of this new era.

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Colposcopy - A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, and Annotated Research Guide to Internet References



Colposcopy - A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, and Annotated Research Guide to Internet References
Health Publica Icon Health Publications | 2003-12-12 00:00:00 | ICON Health Publications | 152 | Online Searching
In March 2001, the National Institutes of Health issued the following warning: "The number of Web sites offering health-related resources grows every day. Many sites provide valuable information, while others may have information that is unreliable or misleading." Furthermore, because of the rapid increase in Internet-based information, many hours can be wasted searching, selecting, and printing.This book was created for medical professionals, students, and members of the general public who want to conduct medical research using the most advanced tools available and spending the least amount of time doing so.

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Restoring the Oceanic Island Ecosystem: Impact and Management of Invasive Alien Species in the Bonin Islands



Restoring the Oceanic Island Ecosystem: Impact and Management of Invasive Alien Species in the Bonin Islands
Kazuto Kawakami,Isamu Okochi | 2010-04-02 00:00:00 | Springer | 228 | Conservation

The Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands, part of a remote Japanese archipelago, are a typical hot spot of biological invasion. Indigenous fauna and flora, which had long evolved in isolation, suffered devastating deforestation and invasion by multiple alien species in the twentieth century. Studies on the impacts of green anoles, flatworms, goats, cats, black rats, and tree and shrub species, among others, have led to new policies in an attempt to arrest the irreversible damage to the island biota. This book provides an overview of the research findings and countermeasures necessary for the successful management of island ecosystems. Based in research conducted over multiple species, this work provides scientists, researchers, students, and policy makers a unique perspective on the integration of conservation projects running simultaneously in the Bonin Islands and on the diversity of their impacts. Restoring ecosystems through the management of alien species is an important conservation issue and the dream that prompted this book.



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Photosynthesis Photobiochemistry and Photobiophysics (Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration)



Photosynthesis Photobiochemistry and Photobiophysics (Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration)
Bacon Ke | 2001-03-31 00:00:00 | Springer | 792 | Biochemistry
Photosynthesis: Photobiochemistry and Photobiophysics is the first single-authored book in the Advances in Photosynthesis Series. It provides an overview of the light reactions and electron transfers in both oxygenic and anoxygenic photosynthesis. The scope of the book is characterized by the time frame in which the light reactions and the subsequent electron transfers take place, namely between <=10-12 and >=10-3 second. The book is divided into five parts: An Overview; Bacterial Photosynthesis; Photosystem II & Oxygen Evolution; Photosystem I; and Proton Transport and Photophosphorylation. In discussing the structure and function of various protein complexes, we begin with an introductory chapter, followed by chapters on light-harvesting complexes, the primary electron donors and the primary electron acceptors, and finally the secondary electron donors. The discussion on electron acceptors is presented in the order of their discovery to convey a sense of history, in parallel with the advancement in instrumentation of increasing time resolution. The book includes a large number of stereo pictures showing the three-dimensional structure of various photosynthetic proteins, which can be easily viewed with unaided eyes. This book is designed to be used as a textbook in a graduate or upper-division undergraduate course in photosynthesis, photobiology, plant physiology, biochemistry, and biophysics; it is equally suitable as a resource book for students, teachers, and researchers in the areas of molecular and cellular biology, integrative biology, microbiology, and plant biology.
Reviews
Surley an unbelievable feat for a single author (Ke, B. formerly with the Charles F. Kettering Research Laboratory, Yellow Springs, OH, USA) . This book is a well orchestrated look at the (sub)molecular aspects of photosynthesis. Sufficient attention to prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. Light driven electron transport and proton pumping are investigated in great detail to include progress through photosynthesis research. Countless illustrations and real data supplement the text offering a clear demonstration of photosynthetic processes.

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Vieweg Handbuch Maschinenbau. Grundlagen und Anwendungen der Maschinenbau-Technik (repost)



Vieweg Handbuch Maschinenbau. Grundlagen und Anwendungen der Maschinenbau-Technik (repost)
| 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | | 0 | Others
Alfred Böge, "Vieweg Handbuch Maschinenbau. Grundlagen und Anwendungen der Maschinenbau-Technik"
Vieweg+Teubner | 2008 | ISBN: 3834801100 | 1524 pages | PDF | 52,4 MB
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Sedona Power Spot Vortex and Medicine Wheel Guide



Sedona Power Spot Vortex and Medicine Wheel Guide
Vortex Society | 2009-01-01 00:00:00 | | 112 | Misc
The most popular book on the subject of the Sedona vortex phenomenon. The author is a native of Northern Arizona. Includes six maps with complete instructions for finding the four major vortices. Also includes meditations for each vortex, and information on Sedona's geology, history, and ancient Native American culture. The Medicine Wheel Guide explores the use of group consciousness for planetary healing.
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Real Variables with Basic Metric Space Topology



Real Variables with Basic Metric Space Topology
Robert B. Ash | 2009-05-21 00:00:00 | Dover Publications | 224 | Mathematics
Designed for a first course in real variables, this text encourages intuitive thinking and offers background for more advanced mathematical work. Topics include complex variables, measure theory, differential equations, functional analysis, and probability. Detailed solutions to the problems appear at the back of the book, making it ideal for independent study. 1993 edition.


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Appointing Central Bankers: The Politics of Monetary Policy in the United States and the European Monetary Union (Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions)



Appointing Central Bankers: The Politics of Monetary Policy in the United States and the European Monetary Union (Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions)
Kelly H. Chang | 2003-08-18 00:00:00 | Cambridge University Press | 176 | Economics
Focusing on how the President and the Senate influence monetary policy by appointing Federal Reserve Board members, this book answers three questions about the appointment process and its effects. First, do politicians influence monetary policy via Federal Reserve appointments? Second, who influences the process--only the President or the President and the Senate? Third, how is the structure of the Federal Reserve appointment process explained? The study extends the analysis of the Federal Reserve Board to the European Central bank.

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The Case of the Dangerous Dowager


The Case of the Dangerous Dowager
Earl Stanley Gardner | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | | 1 | Fiction
The Case of the Dangerous Dowager
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SAT Math for the Clueless



SAT Math for the Clueless
Bob Miller | 1998-10-01 00:00:00 | McGraw-Hill | 160 | Education
Do square roots, logs, and graphs leave you in a cold sweat? Does the very thought of the all-important SAT¨ math send chills up your spine? If so, then you are like hundreds of thousands of students who face math only with fear. Luckily, there is a cure: Bob MillerOs Clueless series! Like the teacher you always wished you had (but never thought existed), Bob Miller brings a combination of knowledge, empathy and fun to the often-troubling subject of mathematics. He breaks down the learning process in an easy, nontechnical way and builds it up again using his own unique methods. Meant to bridge the gulf between you and mathematics, SAT¨Math for the Clueless is packed with all the information you need to conquer this crucial standardized test. This radically new approach gives you anxiety-reducing features on every page; bite-sized math portions that fit short study sessions (and short attention spans); appealing methods that make math understandable; full explanations of basic principles that make hard problems easy; quick tips for solving difficult problems; and a complete practice SAT¨-type math practice exam! "I am always delighted when a student tells me that he or she hated math...but taking a class with me has made math understandable...even enjoyable," says Bob Miller. Now itOs your turn. Sharpen your #2 pencils and let this extraordinary teacher show you how to never be clueless again!
Reviews
I loved Bob Miller's SAT Math for the Clueless. I hate math- it has always been my greatest weakness in school and especially on the SAT. In math class, I never really comprehend the material and only memorize what I need to pass the tests. But this just wasn't cutting it for me on the SAT. This book was perfect for me because I am clueless when it comes to math. The explainations and exercises where simple and easy to understand and i felt more confident on test day. In the book's introduction, Bob Miller promises that he can help students raise their score by 100 or more points. I raised my own score by 140 points and am very pleased with what this book offers.
Reviews
Each evening my SAT person studies one chapter and has greatly increased his understand and ability in HS math. The book is very nicely laid out each chapter cover one topic with examples. the last three chapters are imitation Math SATs. Wonderful
Reviews
This book is good for any student who wishes to learn more about the SAT's and some basic techniques to use while taking the test. Miller reviews material which is on the "big test" and gives practice examples. In the answers to the practice examples, he tells you what you should have done. Miller also tells the reader things that the writers of the test do to trick you. After reading a few chapters and doing practice examples, I felt much better about taking the SAT's and after reading the whole book, I felt confident that I would do excellent.

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C Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic



C Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic
| 1995-07-30 00:00:00 | | 0 | C++


The extensively revised and updated edition provides a logical and easy-to-follow progression through C++ programming for two of the most popular technologies for artificial intelligence--neural and fuzzy programming. The authors cover theory as well as practical examples, giving programmers a solid foundation as well as working examples with reusable code.

User review
Not recommended
Being a professional C++ programmer with a background in Applied Math I didn't like this book at all. It's written in a very annoying way: sometimes it sounds like its author is trying to sell the whole concept of NN and Fuzzy Logic to the reader instead of explaining how, when, and WHY fuzzy logic and neural networks work, how to train them properly, and what their limitations are. One characteristic example: author presents a list of companies using fuzzy logic in real systems but never gives any useful details about these systems.

The book is not for a `mathematician` since it often lacks precision, coherence, mathematical rigor, clarity, ,,. More often than not, you will find wordy explanations instead of simple formulas

It will displease a `programmer` too. The book's title is `C++ Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic` so one may expect to find some well-thought and proven design ideas on how to implement NN and FL in C++ as well as a decent C++ library. Instead you will find just an amateurish C++ code (like anybody had any doubts that NN can actually be implemented in C++).

Numerous times author uses this `trick`: he introduces new concept, delivers a couple of vague statements about the concept, and promises a better explanation later (in the following chapters, next series, etc).

How do you like this for definition: `STABILITY refers to such convergence that facilitates an end to the iterative process`. You can find a lot of such `pearls` in this book.

Don't waste your time,,. There are better books

FYI: the book includes just a floppy disk instead of CD.

User review
Big promises but no delivery
At first this book promises to offer a great deal for the reader, and the copious amounts of code therein support this impression. But once one actually begins working with the text, the book's shortcomings become all too apparent.

The authors do a lot of 'hand waving' at important concepts, almost as though the book was written as a companion piece to a course lecture. (Sometimes it really does read as though it's just a transcribed volume of professor's notes.) Numerous times I found myself stopping and thinking `wait, don't get off that topic yet! You've barely addressed its basics,` and wondering if I had somehow missed something on the previous page or two.

The code supplied is abominably written, a Frankenstein hodgepodge of C and C++ intertwined. This code can be made to run with some work, but it could hardly be used as a sound basis for further development or experimentation.

You can derive good conceptual information out of this book, but it takes a lot of work. You really have to bludgeon your way through it, and that is no recipe for a successful educational text.

User review
Good book
This book is excellent introduction to theory and practical application of neural networks and fuzzy logic.
I know that for sure because I was totaly illiterate in that topic before I red it.
This book requires some prerequisite knowledge from reader.
Reader must have at least average undergraduate knowledge of discrete matematics,probability theory and matrix algebra.

I saw from previous reviews that some `good` C++ programmers expects to learn all that mathematics from one 500 pages book.
I think that would be impossible even for a perfect neural network.

User review
Good book
This book is excellent introduction to theory and practical application of neural networks and fuzzy logic.
I know that for sure because I was totaly illiterate in that topic before I red it.
This book requires some prerequisite knowledge from reader.
Reader must have at least average undergraduate knowledge of discrete matematics,probability theory and matrix algebra.

I saw from previous reviews that some `good` C++ programmers expects to learn all that mathematics from one 500 pages book.
I think that would be impossible even for a perfect neural network.

User review
Bad and code is useless
I'm sorry, this book is nearly useless. I'm a vetern C++ programmer and I tried to create a fuzzy logic system from the concepts and code in this book and it didn't work out at all. At first I blamed myself then I found some other fuzzy logic books and realized that no, this book just wasn't able to articulate the concepts in a meaningful way. The Neural net code was even worse. I wanted a cook book, do this, get a simple net, do this get a simple fuzzy logic system, now take what you learned and make a real one. Nope.

They do go over the AI terms and types of Neural nets and I did learn something by reading about it but not enough to justify the price of the book.


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Surrogate Motherhood and the Politics of Reproduction



Surrogate Motherhood and the Politics of Reproduction
Susan Markens | 2007-09-04 00:00:00 | University of California Press | 277 | United States
Susan Markens takes on one of the hottest issues on the fertility front--surrogate motherhood--in a book that illuminates the culture wars that have erupted over new reproductive technologies in the United States. In an innovative analysis of legislative responses to surrogacy in the bellwether states of New York and California, Markens explores how discourses about gender, family, race, genetics, rights, and choice have shaped policies aimed at this issue. She examines the views of key players, including legislators, women's organizations, religious groups, the media, and others. In a study that finds surprising ideological agreement among those with opposing views of surrogate motherhood, Markens challenges common assumptions about our responses to reproductive technologies and at the same time offers a fascinating picture of how reproductive politics shape social policy.

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Forecasting Expected Returns in the Financial Markets (Quantitative Finance)



Forecasting Expected Returns in the Financial Markets (Quantitative Finance)
Stephen Satchell | 2007-08-30 00:00:00 | Academic Press | 304 | Finance
Forecasting returns is as important as forecasting volatility in multiple areas of finance. This topic, essential to practitioners, is also studied by academics. In this new book, Dr Stephen Satchell brings together a collection of leading thinkers and practitioners from around the world who address this complex problem using the latest quantitative techniques.

*Forecasting expected returns is an essential aspect of finance and highly technical
*The first collection of papers to present new and developing techniques
*International authors present both academic and practitioner perspectives
Reviews
This book features some great paper focused in the forecasting theme. Its remarks were very aligned with my own empirical observations and modeling experience. Very readable in general, particularly for those with an analytical background, and an interest in financial modeling.

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Law, Pragmatism, and Democracy



Law, Pragmatism, and Democracy
The Honorable Richard A. Posner | 2003-03-31 00:00:00 | Harvard University Press | 416 | Law
A liberal state is a representative democracy constrained by the rule of law. Richard Posner argues for a conception of the liberal state based on pragmatic theories of government. He views the actions of elected officials as guided by interests rather than by reason and the decisions of judges by discretion rather than by rules. He emphasizes the institutional and material, rather than moral and deliberative, factors in democratic decision making.

Posner argues that democracy is best viewed as a competition for power by means of regular elections. Citizens should not be expected to play a significant role in making complex public policy regarding, say, taxes or missile defense. The great advantage of democracy is not that it is the rule of the wise or the good but that it enables stability and orderly succession in government and limits the tendency of rulers to enrich or empower themselves to the disadvantage of the public. Posner's theory steers between political theorists' concept of deliberative democracy on the left and economists' public-choice theory on the right. It makes a significant contribution to the theory of democracy--and to the theory of law as well, by showing that the principles that inform Schumpeterian democratic theory also inform the theory and practice of adjudication. The book argues for law and democracy as twin halves of a pragmatic theory of American government.
Reviews
Lawyers maneuver by mastering both legal formalism and responsible pragmatic analysis. Richard A. Posner uses BUSH v. GORE as an example of pragmatic adjudication. The Court's action headed off a crisis of presidential succession. Reasonableness, best consequences may be used as a standard to evaluate judicial decisions pragmatically.



Consequentialism cannot be a synonym for legal pragmatism. Judicial discretion to weigh consequence is demarcated by Constitutional and statutory provisions. Legal pragmatists engage in a critical use of history. Legal pragmatism is not ad hoc adjudication. It should not be confused with legal positivism for reason the pragmatist does not recognize a boundary between applying and creating law. Legal Realism, identified with the New Deal, and Critical Legal Studies, identified with sixties'-style radicalism, are not the same as legal pragmatism. The most influential judges have been pragmatists. John Dewey felt legal reasoning was like all practical reasoning. Dewey and Holmes displayed intellectual kinship.



Schumpeter and Hans Kelsen emphasized the discrepancy between the rhetoric and the actuality of democracy. The author was surprised to learn the Kelsen's theory of law left the way open to the interposing of economic concerns. Kelsen's theory is not so much Kantian as having the attributes of logical positivism. Kelsen defines law as a normative system backed by a credible threat.



There is tension between democracy and judicial review. The Constitution is a mix of the democratic with the oligarchic and authoritarian strains. Judge Posner's useful analytic tool is his two concept theory of democracy--the first being deliberative democracy and the second he names elite, Schumpterian, democracy. Throughout much of the book he shows the oscillation between the two concepts in governmental practice.



It is to be regretted that the opinions in GORE v. BUSH did not cite the pragmatic benefit of ending the deadlock. Posner's book's themes is an argument for approaching law and politics from the perspective of a kind of everyday pragmatism. It is excellent and enlightening.
Reviews
The first few chapters are pretty dense and Posner writes unnecassarily complicated sentences. He begins by writing how so many people talk about democracy; that this is good for democracy or that is good for democracy, but no one ever defines democracy when talking about it or are inconsistent. He essentially breaks it down to two, rather broad concepts: creatively called Concept I and Concept II.



Concept I democrats, Posner claims, regard democracy in a purely abstract sense- rule of the people, by the people, for the people, with some severe and very undemocratic ideas of governance. For example, there are many things that should be legal or illegal, no matter how for or against something the general public is. Also, Concept I democrats have an unwarranted confidence in the knowledge and disinterestedness of public officials, especially, those not democratically elected (judges, for example). The most defining characteristic of Concept I democrats is the their utopian leanings, meaning they strive for a perfect society and government- that principles should be clung tightly too, regardless of the outcome.



Concept II democrats have no such illusions and accept American democracy and the people in it as they are. As such, they accept, and encourage, many things Concept I democrats find evil. For example, the fifth amendment, taken to its logical conclusion, means that no one could be forced to be finger-printed, or to give a blood sample. However, this would make law enforcement and prosecution too hard, so these things have been ruled as not in violation of the fifth amendment. Posner gives many other examples. Basically, Concept II democrats hold democratic principles dearly, but are realistic about applying these principles in real world situations.



The last couple of chapters held my interest the most. Here Posner focuses on two cases, Clinton v. Jones, and Gore v. Bush. He focuses more on Gore v. Bush. He thinks the ruling of Clinton v. Jones was unpragmatic, that the case should have waited till Clinton's presidency ended because of the very real possibility that the case would be too distracting for Clinton to effectively run the government.



He thinks the ruling in Gore v. Bush to be an excellent example of pragmatic adjudication. Since the election was so close, it didn't matter which candidate became president, in terms of democracy. Since, at the time of the ruling, Bush had more votes, he became president. He regards the putting off of the smooth succession of the president, possibly beyond Jan. 21, in the name of "every vote counts" to endanger society. He claims a smooth succession of the president is more important than taking the time to count every vote, creating very serious problems in the interum.
Reviews
This book is about the 'pragmatic' concept of democracy and the law in it; aobut 3/4 of the book is spent on the former, 1/4, the latter subject. Posner believes that 'democracy' has been misconstrued by many academics (my, how he scorns academics) and many left liberals, to whom 'democracy' means that everyone shall take an interest in politics, everyone shall vigorously deliberate with friends and neighbors and everyone will vote with an informed and semi-altruistic ("common good") mind. To Posner, this is an impossible utopia.

Posner, and I agree with him, would rather "democracy" stand for a system where we vote for leaders so that they, not we, can take the interest in politics. Part of Posners point lies in highlighting that deliberative democracy (the kind outlined in the preceeding paragraph as opposed to his concept of pragmatic democracy)is prevelant amongst activists and academics precisely because they, being interested in political issues, find it easy to convince themselves that everyone else must be too. They are also more likely to associate with others that have similar intersts, helping to reinforce the belief. Posner's pragmatic democracy is defended against deliberative democracy from a variety of angles (winner take all or proportional representation, how far should free speech be taken, FEC regulations, majoritarianism or countermajoritarianism, state v. federal, etc.) Keep in mind that Posner is not arguing that we should not strive to increase peoples participation in politics, but that assuming everyone to be capable, intersted and responsible enough to live up to deliberative ideals is a goal just short of giving society a 100% makeover.

The second bit of the book is on law and the pragmatic concept: that is, law as an extension of practical reasoning, not legal reasoning, of which Posner argues there is no such concrete thing. Judges, while reccomended to stick to law if it it's instruction is undeniably clear, should look at difficult cases (where a clause may not have direct application or is simply ambiguous) as, in a sense, creating law where it did not exist before. All of this, he couches in the over-broad argument of reasoning from likely consequences. Why does this not, per se, lead him to out-and-out judicial activism? Becuase a few of the consequnces of such activism are loss of continuity if a clauses application is excessively changed, loss of judicial credibility, and decrease in peoples ability to follow law as they read it to apply. The average person, Posner suggests, should be able to predict how the judge will rule. All of this he applies to two cases in particular: Bush v. Gore and Clinton's impeachment (which due to Posner's tendency to wander into unrelated topics, he never quite gets around to). Unfortunately, this section can be skipped if you've read both Posner's "The Problems of Jurisprudence" (see my review) and his two books on Bush v. Gore and the Clinton impeachment.

Still there are some problems. The book being on the two subjects of pragmatic philosophy and pragmatic law, he never ties the two together. Maybe he assumed the connection was self evident but the one does not follow from the other. Also, Posner's polymathic tendency to wander from tangent to tangent sometimes in the space of a few pages, was more noticeable in this book then others. Especially the chapter on Kelsen v. Hayek on law stuck out as irrelevant. Another strange example is that Posner's first broaching of Bush v. Gore led to a lengthy digression on third parties and proportional representation that, while stimulating, was never tied back to Bush v. Gore as the chapter simply ends. Third fault: we've read many of these ideas before in Posners other books (which I strongly reccomend in addition to this one). This one is just a bit more in depth about what is meant by pragmatic law and democracy.

In conclusion, this book is still spectacular, engaging and exemplary of Posner's intense and sparkling wit. I did not deduct any stars from the three above faults because had those faults not been present, this book may have had 7 stars (if that were only possible!) Like many others, I disagree with much of Posner (preferring a textualism closer to Scalia) but have to admit that without this guy, law might be a bit more dull!!

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Chiral Analysis



Chiral Analysis
Kenneth W. Busch,Marianna A. Busch | 2006-11-13 00:00:00 | Elsevier Science | 720 | Internal Medicine
Chiral Analysis covers an important area of analytical chemistry of relevance to a wide variety of scientific professionals. The target audience is scientific professionals with an undergraduate background in chemistry or a related discipline, specifically organic chemists, researchers in drug discovery, pharmaceutical researchers involved with process analysis or combinatorial libraries, and graduate students in chemistry. Chapters have been written with the nonspecialist in mind so as to be self-contained.

* Broad coverage - spectroscopic and separation methods covered in a single volume
* Up-to-date and detailed review of the various techniques available and/or under development in this field
* Contributions from leading experts in the field

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How to Build a Successful Blog Business.



How to Build a Successful Blog Business.
Fabrizio Fioravanti | 2010-01-01 00:00:00 | | 330 | Internet
How to Build a Successful Blog Business is a straight forward guide to building a publishing business online that covers everything from choosing a niche to hiring staff, registering a business to selling it, finding traffic to monetizing it.
Whether you are interested in creating an additional income stream or building a fully-fledged business, this is an essential read for web entrepreneurs and online publishers.

Collis is a web veteran with a wealth of experience and an easy to read style. He has founded sites such as the Tuts+ network, the Envato Marketplaces, FreelanceSwitch and AppStorm which combined serve up over 50 million pageviews a month.
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Wind Power Book



Wind Power Book
Jack Park | 1982-01-01 00:00:00 | Cheshire Books | 253 | Electrical Engineering
all about : Wind generators, Farm windmills, Wind furnaces, Transmissions
* Inverters, Energy storage, Performance and costs, Energy tax credits.

how to : Measure the windspeed, Plan a wind system, Design and build
rotors Install and maintain your system, Sell power to the utilities.


for : Farmers and rural landowners, Designers Engineers, Contractors,
Homeowners, Tradespeople, and “New-Age” entrepreneurs.



So you want to destgn and build a wind
power system 7 Maybe you’re tired of paying
ever-Increasing electric bills and worried
about the future avallabrlrty of electricity as
fossrl fuelsbecome depleted. Maybe you’ve
just bought land far away from the nearest
power lrne and you’d like to; harness the
wind to pump water for your cattle. Or maybe
you’re a New Age entrepreneur who plans
to generate electrrcal power at several windy
sites and sell rt to the utllrtres. If so, you are
entering the ranks of a growing number of
people turning back to one of the oldest
sources of energy and power.
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Conversion 2009


Conversion 2009
S.C. Stephens | 2009-01-01 00:00:00 | feedbooks.com | 241 | Fiction Other
Amazing!! I couldn't stop reading so I stayed up most of the night... I loved it!

Emma is happy. She's got a promising career in front of her, great friends, and a pretty amazing family. But her social life has been a little lacking lately. That's when fate stepped in, and crashed her into a tall, dark and handsome man. Sure, he has his secrets...don't we all, and, yeah, maybe his secrets are a little more unusual than most - like he's a partial vampire who can walk around during the day, but also enjoys a little plasma nightcap now and again - but to Emma, he's single, successful, and an extraordinary gentleman. That makes up for a lot. Of course, his condition is a bit more serious than he first lets on, and living a life with him will require some sacrifices that most just aren't willing to make. Will she? Is love enough to compensate for a life that will never be anywhere near the realm of normalcy? But then again...what's normal anyway?
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C# Programming Evolution



C# Programming Evolution
Kevin Hoffman | 2004-05-27 00:00:00 | Sams | 320 | Database Design

Readers have for some time been demanding more practical information on how to use the .NET technologies. The great promise of .NET is that it allows the different parts of an enterprise application to be built using the same platform; yet, until now, .NET books have avoided covering the sort of issues that arise when these large applications are being constructed.

This book delivers what readers have been asking for by teaching valuable .NET techniques in the context of a complete, working application. The application is presented at the start of the book and is then used as the basis for a variety of activities that build the readers' ability, knowledge and confidence. The example application, a survey tool, can be easily adapted to a wide variety of tasks that require the collection and processing of information within an organization. The advice provided in the book makes it very easy for readers to customize the application to their particular needs. This means that readers get a great starting point for their own projects.


Reviews
I can see many people getting stuck like I did on the first chapter and I can see many people giving up there. Which is a shame but they really should have given the book to a test audience first, and that "Flash" contents screen looks good but does not really help. What makes things worse is that the publisher/author have not got a help page up. (If you find one please let us know).



The actual idea and mini-project in the book are very good its just the struggle that "newbies" will have getting it up and running. ( I have spent 4 hours so far ). I think if you are very familiar with .NET and IIS etc you will be OK but then these probably are not the people that would want to buy this book.



I would have given the book a 4 but I give it a 3 for lake of care in the user installation "experience".
Reviews
There seem to be 2 schools of thought on this book! The difference being whether you can get past Chapter 1. I can NOT! and it is not without a lot of time and effort both wasted. Forget the cost. Just value your time.



The text does not match the file names on the CD and make sure you have IIS and SQL server in and working before you even think about buying this book.



You may be able to download chapter 1, if so try it and see how far you get then please let me know. I bought this book because of what it was supposed to do and I am so dissappointed, what is worse is that SAMS completely ignore any eMails.



Ah well, good luck to others.



Alan
Reviews
from the very first example. How frustrating is that?? this book cost me 40 bucks and bam!! Wish I would have saved the receipt.
Reviews
The only eseeence of this book is to be able to make the code work and learn from it. I spent hours configuring it and still cannot compile the code. There are errors everywhere. Author has given many steps to configuring the code and database and it is more complicated than it should be. I have downloaded many large examples in past and made them to work in short time. In this case it is never ending. I am still trying but am pretty sure I will not be able to run this application without wasting days which defeats the purpose. In my opinion download free samples from asp.net and other sources. This buy is waste of money and more importantly waste of time.
Reviews
You can consider this book as a case study, where Hoffman has chosen to show how to develop an example application. This constitutes the backbone of the book. The application touches upon many real life development issues. Like building in security, or hooking the application to a back end database. (Microsoft's SQL Server is used in the book, unsurprisingly.) Enough code is shown for you to use as a jumping off template for your actual needs. Realistically, if you do this with any of the sample code, your code may/will end up far longer and more intricate. For pedagogic clarity, Hoffman introduces just enough complexity in his code to show nontrivial capabilities. But not too much that it obscures the essence. However, you must expect that, for example, your SQL queries will be more involved, and so too your parsing of the returned ResultSets. But, as a programmer, you should know that often with a new, unfamiliar language, all you need is a few functional examples. Like what Hoffman provides.



Plus, if you come from a Java or C++ background, the book should be easy sailing. C# is not that different from Java in syntax. And the use of interfaces, like Java but unlike C++, should be appreciated from the examples.

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Mining Science and Technology: Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Mining Science and Technology, Xuzhou, China 20-22 October 2004



Mining Science and Technology: Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Mining Science and Technology, Xuzhou, China 20-22 October 2004
Yuehan Wang,Shirong Ge,Guangli Guo | 2004-09-15 00:00:00 | Taylor & Francis | 1006 | Engineering
Jointly sponsored by the China University of Mining and Technology and the University of Nottingham, UK, a total of 187 papers have been included in the proceedings, of which fifty-two are contributed by authors outside of China. Scholars and experts from both China and abroad discuss and exchange information on the latest developments in mining science and technology worldwide, which cover extensive areas ranging from mine operation and safety technology, geology and methane drainage, geomechanics, mine construction and tunnelling, mineral processing and clean coal technology, mine control and automation to mine environment, mine economics and management.

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Tiger (Reaktion Books - Animal)



Tiger (Reaktion Books - Animal)
Susie Green | 2006-01-01 00:00:00 | Reaktion | 224 | Biology
Tiger (Reaktion Books - Animal)
By Susie Green


* Publisher: Reaktion Books
* Number Of Pages: 224
* Publication Date: 2006-09-15
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 1861892764
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9781861892768



Product Description:

Contrary to popular belief, it is the tiger, not the lion, who is the true king of the jungle. A male tiger can grow to eleven feet in length and weigh more than 650 pounds. Sleek, powerful, and mysterious, the tiger is revered as a potent symbol of sexuality and ferocity in many cultures around the world. Yet the tiger’s strength and beauty has also been its downfall—nearly every part of the tiger has a value to poachers, including the animal’s hide, teeth, bones, and even sexual organs.

With Tiger, author Susie Green explores the tiger’s new status as both predator and prey. She also examines the tiger’s rich cultural history, from its valued position in Taoist mythology and the Chinese Zodiac, to more recent interpretations of the tiger’s prowess in the work of Salvador Dali. Smart, readable, and lushly illustrated, Tiger will appeal to the wide audience that admires this wonderfully vital yet highly endangered species.
(20061103)


Summary: TIGER by Susie Green
Rating: 1

Susie Green's book TIGER published in 2006 by Reaktion Books UK and printed in China is a very superficial view of the subject. There is absolutely nothing new about tigers in this paperback, unlike Dr. George Schaller's phoenominal work THE DEER & THE TIGER, or Jim Corbett's classic works on Tigers including MAN EATERS OF KUMAON. No field studies conducted by the author for this book. Instead the author focused on books written by Valmik Thapar and Kailash Sankhala - one hated Jim Corbett who was detrimental in creating India's first national park to protect tigers in 1935, and the other completely avoided acknowledging Corbett for his works towards the conservation of tigers and other wildlife in India. Arjan Singh calls it a canard, and unfortunately both Sankhala and his desciple Thapar showed it.

Susie Green (most likely a pen name) copies Sankhala's hatred towards Corbett (without acknowledging it) by saying that Jim Corbett enjoyed the patronage of the viceroy, and if he chose to designate a tiger as a man eater, his judgement would not be disputed. She further goes on to attack Corbett thus " the killing of beasts even more dangerous than the regular run of vilified tigers made Corbett appear a bigger and brave man than the other hunters, a desire deeply embedded in his psyche.... and he rarely put himself in real danger" Her hatred towards Corbett is so intense, she continues to bash Corbett by calling him an 'enthusiastic animal slaughterer' and 'one of Raj's chief tiger slaughterers who manipulated the tigers' reputation so expertly through his blood curdling writing that he himself appeared as a saviour, was in reality a man with a massive lust for power and status'.

Whoever is behind the name Susie Green, one gets the impression that the author has done no research on tigers, never seen a tiger alive in her lifetime and has no qualifications whatsoever to tackle the subject. Instead of visiting museums and Thai temples, the author should have visited the tiger reserves and spent more time learning the basics about tigers by talking to people who have had actual encounters with wild tigers in the field. Bashing Corbett, who died in 1955 when Susie Green was likely in diapers, is like calling Sir Winston Churchill a sissy.

In short, the book is a great disappointment, then again buying a product from an unknown author is a gamble.It could have saved a few trees in China by not printing it. If it is not for the atrocious cost of the postage, I would have returned my copy of TIGER.


Summary: What a lovely book!
Rating: 5

What a lovely book! I bought this book after having a dream about a friend who was a tiger and imparted to me animal wisdom -- and knowing also that I was born the Year of the Tiger, I decided to learn more about tigers. Although this book explores in part the behaviors of tigers, it focuses considerably on the symbolism, meanings, spirituality etc. of tigers throughout history and across many cultures. The color photographs are high quality and add much to the fascinating text. Chapters include: Evolution and Natural History, Earthly Passion and Spiritual Balance, The Power of Image and Strength of Reality, The Psychology of Fear: Tiger Tamed and Degraded, Conservation of Tigers, Timeline.
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Introduction to Population Biology



Introduction to Population Biology
Dick Neal | 2004-02-09 00:00:00 | Cambridge University Press | 408 | Biology
This text adopts an evolutionary perspective on population biology. To help undergraduate students better understand the subject, Dick Neal presents step-by-step spreadsheet simulations of many basic equations that explore the outcomes or predictions of the various models. Proven examples demonstrate how the equations can be applied to biological questions, and problem sets and detailed solutions challenge the student's comprehension. Many real life examples are also included to help the reader relate the quantitative theory to the natural world.

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Contemporary Problems in Statistical Physics,1 Ed



Contemporary Problems in Statistical Physics,1 Ed
George H. Weiss | 1987-01-01 00:00:00 | Society for Industrial Mathematics | 271 | Physics
This collection of independent articles describes some mathematical problems recently developed in statistical physics and theoretical chemistry. The book introduces and reviews current research on such topics as nonlinear systems and colored noise, stochastic resonance, percolation, the trapping problem in the theory of random walks, and diffusive models for chemical kinetics. Some of these topics have never before been presented in expository book form. Applied mathematicians will be introduced to some contemporary problems in statistical physics. In addition, a number of unsolved problems currently attracting intensive research efforts are described.
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Shaolin Chin Na Fa: Art of Seizing and Grappling



Shaolin Chin Na Fa: Art of Seizing and Grappling
Liu Jin Sheng, Andrew Timofeevich | 2008-12-15 00:00:00 | CreateSpace | 142 | Martial Arts
The book "CHIN NA FA" was written by Liu Jin Sheng in collaboration with Zhao Jiang. The first edition of the book was issued in July of 1936 as a manual for the Police Academy of Zhejiang province. The book was printed by the publishing house Shan Wu in Shanghai. "...If you are in command of this technique, you can sway the destiny of the enemy. You can kill your enemy, cause unbearable pain, tear his muscles and sinews, break his bones or make him unconscious for some time and completely disable him to resist. Even a woman or a physically weak man who mastered this technique can curb a strong enemy. This technique demands deftness and skill, not brute force. It is necessary to train oneself daily to make the body flexible and nimble, but "hardness" must be hidden inside this "softness." /Author Liu Jin Sheng. The Police Academy of Zhejiang province. 1-st of May of the 24-th year of the Chinese Republic (1935)/
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Sheep and Goat Medicine



Sheep and Goat Medicine
D. G. Pugh DVM MS | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | Saunders | 468 | Veterinary Medicine
This text is designed as a user-friendly textbook for the mixed practice large animal veterinarian. The text covers all aspects (medicine, surgery, theriogenology, and nutrition) of sheep and goats. Descriptions of common medical and surgical and reproductive procedures appear throughout the textbook enhanced by many photographs, diagrams, and charts. It covers all major body systems, herd health, physical examination, nutrition, anesthesia, and multisystem diseases. It is a practical, easy-to-read reference.
Reviews
This is a straightforward book that has more information than the sheep and goat guides geared for lay people. A lot of small flock folks have vets who don't do much sheep medicine, or it is geared for large commercial flocks. So it is very helpful to be able to be able to have the information you need to make decisions about problems in the flock that may differ from a commercial sheep grower's decision about an individual animal.

I might be a little odd, but I read the whole book and enjoyed it.
Reviews
I returned this book after ordering it because I found it significantly less accurate, smaller photos, disrespectful attitude about floppy-kid disease, less complete than Goat Medicine by Mary Smith and David Sherman.

Goat Medicine
Reviews
My husband is a small animal veterinarian and I am an RN (before kids and hobby farming). This book may be a bit too technical for some, but would be useful for most shepherds looking to triage their flock or individual animals. Won't replace a veterinarian :-) BUT - can help you know when to call in the professional!
Reviews
This book was a gift to a granddaughter, so I don't know the effectiveness of the information contained within. Certainly had quick shipment and I am hoping it was just what she wanted.
Reviews
This is the ulimate must have item for anyone raising sheep or goats. It has up-to-date information and pictures discussing and offers advice for any type of illness or emergency. Great reference. easy for laypersons to understand.

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UNIX Network Programming: Networking APIs: Sockets and XTI; Volume 1



UNIX Network Programming: Networking APIs: Sockets and XTI; Volume 1
| 1998-01-15 00:00:00 | | 0 | Network Programming


The classic programming text Unix Network Programming has been updated by author W. Richard Stevens to encompass three new volumes. There have been a few changes in the computing world since 1990 (the year the original was published), and Stevens has taken the opportunity to create a complete set of reference manuals for programmers of all skill levels.

The first volume, Networking APIs: Sockets and XTI, covers everything you need to know to make your programs communicate over networks. Stevens covers everything from writing your programs to be compatible with both Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and IPv6, to raw sockets, routing sockets, User Datagram Protocol (UDP), broadcasting/multicasting, routing sockets, server internals, and more, plus a section covering Posix threads.

Stevens also notes compatibility issues with different operating systems so that readers can create code that is more portable, and he offers plenty of advice on how to make code more robust. --Doug Beaver

User review
Richard Steven Rocks.
The Best series of books to learn Network programming from. The BEST in the world. Nothing comes close. Richard Steven rocks always !

User review
It's simply good!
If I want a dog, I won't buy a cat.
The good thing of a cat is, it won't bark.

User review
Boring Dictionary of N/W Programming
Though book is preety straight forward.
It rarely talks about tricks,code is highly redundant in the sense that everywhere error checking is being done.
Which makes it highly boring is that if you are dealing with some kind of N/W installation or S/W trobuleshooting.
Talks much more on code,

User review
A good reference
The coding examples weren't so hot in my opinion but this book
provided exactly what I needed to jump on the UNIX network programming bandwagon and remains a reference tool.

User review
One of Two Must-Have UNIX Books
This is one of two must-have UNIX books (`UNIX Network Programming` and `Advanced Programming for the UNIX Environment`). After I had been using UNIX for a long time and was getting into more advanced UNIX programming about a decade ago, these two books were recommended. I checked around and made comparisons. Sure enough, I had to agree. I bought both of them and use them a lot, even when doing Windows programming.

As an example, I had to reference them again this weekend. I am using Visual Basic and C++ under Windows to connect some UDP/IP communications between applications. Once again, these books were indispensable (even after looking at online help, Google, Microsoft Knowledge Base and Experts-Exchange). Any Internet professional should have both of these books on their shelf.


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Cross-Border Banking: Regulatory Challenges (World Scientific Studies in International Economics ? Vol. 1)



Cross-Border Banking: Regulatory Challenges (World Scientific Studies in International Economics ? Vol. 1)
Gerard Caprio,Douglas Darrell Evanoff,George G. Kaufman | 2006-09-15 00:00:00 | World Scientific Publishing Company | 492 | Economics
Cross-border banking, while having the potential for a more efficient financial sector, also creates potential challenges for bank supervisors and regulators. It requires cooperation by regulatory authorities across jurisdictions and a clear delineation of authority and responsibility. That delineation is typically not present and regulatory authorities often have significantly different incentives to respond when cross-border-active banks encounter difficulties. Most of these issues have only begun to be seriously evaluated. This volume, one of the first attempts to address these issues, brings together experts and regulators from different countries. The wide range of topics discussed include: the current landscape of cross-border bank activity, the resulting competitive implications, emerging challenges for prudential regulation, safety net concerns, failure resolution issues, and the potential future evolution of international banking.

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Twentieth Century Italy: A Social History



Twentieth Century Italy: A Social History
Jonathan Dunnage | 2003-06-19 00:00:00 | Longman | 288 | Italy
Putting the politics back into social history, this important new account presents Italian society and its development during the twentieth century against a background of struggle for full democracy and national consciousness. B> Taking a chronological approach the book considers such key questions as the north/south divide, the limited social and political emancipation of the masses, the development of organized crime, often in league with organs of the state, the narrowness of the political class, the centralized bureaucracy of administration and law and what this has meant for real life in the provinces. The author also looks at the surprising continuities of Italian life throughout the liberal, fascist and postwar periods and the economic boom in Italy (or parts of it) which seems to belie the country's notorious combination of political instability with political stasis. Fot readers interested in Italy.

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Advances in Quantum Chemistry, Volume 52: Theory of the Interaction of Radiation with Biomolecules



Advances in Quantum Chemistry, Volume 52: Theory of the Interaction of Radiation with Biomolecules
John R. Sabin | 2006-12-25 00:00:00 | Academic Press | 326 | Internal Medicine
Advances in Quantum Chemistry presents surveys of current developments in this rapidly developing field that falls between the historically established areas of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology. With invited reviews written by leading international researchers, each presenting new results, it provides a single vehicle for following progress in this interdisciplinary area.

* publishes articles, invited reviews and proceedings of major international conferences and workshops
* written by leading international researchers in quantum and theoretical chemistry
* highlights important interdisciplinary developments

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Business Math For Dummies (For Dummies (Business &amp; Personal Finance))



Business Math For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))
Jane Sterling, Mary | 2008-01-01 00:00:00 | For Dummies | 388 | Mathematics
Now, it is easier than ever before to understand complex mathematical concepts and formulas and how they relate to real-world business situations. All you have to do it apply the handy information you will find in Business Math For Dummies. Featuring practical practice problems to help you expand your skills, this book covers topics like using percents to calculate increases and decreases, applying basic algebra to solve proportions, and working with basic statistics to analyze raw data. Find solutions for finance and payroll applications, including reading financial statements, calculating wages and commissions, and strategic salary planning.
Navigate fractions, decimals, and percents in business and real estate transactions, and take fancy math skills to work. You’ll be able to read graphs and tables and apply statistics and data analysis. You’ll discover ways you can use math in finance and payroll investments, banking and payroll, goods and services, and business facilities and operations. You’ll learn how to calculate discounts and markup, use loans and credit, and understand the ins and outs of math for business facilities and operations. You’ll be the company math whiz in no time at all! Find out how to:
- Read graphs and tables
- Invest in the future
- Use loans and credit
- Navigate bank accounts, insurance, budgets, and payroll
- Calculate discounts and markup
- Measure properties and handle mortgages and loans
- Manage rental and commercial properties

Complete with lists of ten math shortcuts to do in meetings and drive your coworkers nuts and ten tips for reading annual reports, Business Math For Dummies is your one-stop guide to solving math problems in business situations.
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Larry Weiss,Scott A. Spiewak | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | Fairmont Press | 334 | Engineering

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Doc Baumann, Christoph Künne "Die besten Photoshop Tipps & Tricks: Edition DOCMA"
Addison Wesley Verlag | German | 2008-02 | ISBN: 3827326575 | 372 pages | PDF | 54,7 MB
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