Sunday 13 March 2011

Emotion, Truth and Meaning: In Defense of Ayer and Stevenson (Library of Ethics and Applied Philosophy)



Emotion, Truth and Meaning: In Defense of Ayer and Stevenson (Library of Ethics and Applied Philosophy)
C. Wilks | 2002-10-31 00:00:00 | Springer | 268 | Philosophy
The Emotive Theory was theory ahead of its time, and a theory which was, perhaps understandably, misinterpreted, misrepresented, and ridiculed by its critics from the outset. In Emotion, Truth and Meaning, Dr Wilks not only acquaints the reader with what the original emotivists actually claimed (and clarifies what they actually meant when they made some of the more controversial claims), he enriches their claims by psychologically expanding them. Like its predecessor, Dr Wilks's enriched emotive theory distinguishes between moral conflicts which are rationally resolvable and moral conflicts which are not, but, unlike its predecessor, it traces the irresolvability of the latter to the psychological fact that they are merely symptomatic of more fundamental conflict at the level of world view - the level where questions about the meaning of life are answered, and where the truth of the answers arrived at is emotionally-felt rather than empirically-sensed.

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Sale & Supply of Goods (Commercial Law)



Sale & Supply of Goods (Commercial Law)
Furmston | 2006-08-25 00:00:00 | Routledge-Cavendish | 214 | Commercial
The purpose of this book is to give students a clear account of the law relating to the sale of goods. It is particularly designed for those students who do not spend a whole academic year on the subject and therefore need to have a reasonably concise treatment. The emphasis is on general concepts, such as passing of property and risk, and on those problems, such as sale of defective goods or of goods which do not belong to the seller, which are most important in practice. There is an analysis of the borderlines between sale of goods and allied contracts, such as hire purchase, hire, exchange, and work and materials. There is also discussion in relation to defective goods, of criminal liability and tortious liability.

This third edition takes into account the provisions in the Sale of Goods (Amendment) Act 1994 and also the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 which came into force on 1 October 1999.

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Beading with Pearls: Beautiful Jewelry, Simple Techniques



Beading with Pearls: Beautiful Jewelry, Simple Techniques
| 2008-01-01 00:00:00 | | 1 | Do It Yourself
Description: Pearls have long stood for classic beauty and elegance, and this collection of 30 exquisite projects, the latest in the bestselling Beading with series, continues that time-honored tradition. It features sophisticated and stylish designs by a pool of talented artists, most using simple techniques suitable for beginners.
The pieces range from vintage and sentimental to hip, modern, and edgy: the showstopping Bohemia ring features three burgundy pearls set in silver wire, accented with Swarovski crystals. Nefertiti earrings—fit for a queen—highlight clusters of tiny white rice pearls on wrapped bead loops. A shimmering three-strand necklace includes polished citrines, faceted glass beads, and off-white pearls. Every page is brimming with high-end style!
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Queen of Air and Darkness



Queen of Air and Darkness
Poul Anderson | 1977-01-01 00:00:00 | New English Library Ltd | 83 | Fiction Other
Fantastic SF story
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A Day in the Life: One Family, the Beautiful People, and the End of the Sixties



A Day in the Life: One Family, the Beautiful People, and the End of the Sixties
Robert Greenfield | 2009-01-01 00:00:00 | Da Capo | 368 | History
A Day in the Life: One Family, the Beautiful People, and the End of the Sixties
By Robert Greenfield


* Publisher: Da Capo Press
* Number Of Pages: 368
* Publication Date: 2009-05-04
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0306816229
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780306816222



Product Description:

A Day in the Life is the story of how the ideal marriage between two young and extraordinarily beautiful members of the English upper class fell apart as the psychedelic dreams of the sixties gave way to the harsh, hard-rock reality of the seventies. A tender, moving, and often harrowing look at the moment in time when the counterculture collided with the international jet set, A Day in the Life captures the spirit of that era and the people who lived through it with unerring accuracy and heartfelt precision.

When Tommy Weber and Susan “Puss” Coriat, London’s most beautiful couple, were married in 1964, it was the fitting end to a storybook romance. But the fast cars Tommy loved to race, their celebrity friends, and the huge trust fund Puss had inherited masked a tortured truth—both had suffered through oppressive and neglectful childhoods and were now caught up in a wildly extravagant lifestyle that neither Puss’ inheritance nor Tommy’s increasingly desperate schemes could support. Six years later, Puss found herself wandering around India with her two sons while Tommy, who was now smuggling drugs to survive, lived in London with a stunning young actress. A Day in the Life is also the stirring account of how the couple’s tow sons—one of whom is the well-known actor Jake Weber—somehow managed to survive a childhood that would have destroyed those of lesser spirit.

An unbelievable true-life tale that often reads like a novel, A Day in the Life follow the fortunes and misfortunes of one remarkable family while also introducing us to an extensive cast of supporting characters that includes Keith Richards, Anita Pallenberg, Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, John Lennon, and Charlotte Rampling, as well as many of the movers and shakers who helped create the “Swinging London” scene.



Summary: The darker side of the Swinging Sixties
Rating: 4

No spoilers.

I got this book because I had read an interview with actor Jake Weber, where he talked about his turbulent upbringing during the 1960s. He was one of two sons of a young socialite named "Puss" Susan Coriat, and her husband, Tommy Weber.

I started reading the book, and I ended up finishing it in one sitting. Robert Greenfield really manages to tell a compelling and interesting story, yet still maintain a journalistic distance.

Both Puss Coriat, and Tommy Weber came from privileged, wealthy families. Yet both sets of parents divorced, and Puss and Tommy were shuttled around to various schools and relatives. Puss Coriat's mother Pricilla was well-known - she was known as the "little rich girl" and was one of the wealthiest women of her time, yet she was foolish and a spendthrift. Tommy's parents were likewise pretty dysfunctional.

Puss and Tommy meet and fall in love and marry right at the start of the craziness that marked the mid-to late 1960s. They were right in the center of it all, and they hung around with all the celebrity rockers of their time, in particular the Rolling Stones and Keith Richards. Throw in to this mix a lot of various drugs, (LSD, marijuana, heroin, among others) and you can kind of see where this is going.

I don't want to give anything away, but there is not a good ending for either parent, in particular, Puss. She develops a sort of drug induced schizophrenia, and had an apparent psychotic break along with depression. (Her reaction reminded me a lot of Sid Barret's from Pink Floyd, and in fact he is even mentioned in this regard.) Tommy's life continues with the focus on drugs, sex and rock 'n roll, which doesn't serve him well as he ages.

In short, this is a fascinating little book that really gives you a sense of what that decade and lifestyle were all about. It's one thing to choose that way of life if you are on your own, but it's a different case if like Puss and Tommy, you have two small boys. My heart went out to those boys, and it's a tribute to them both that they seem to have turned out so well.

Recommended, especially if you like reading about the wild times that were the 1960s, and what it was like to have been a part of the madness. My only criticism is that there are some substantial gaps in the narrative, but that's not the fault of the author as much as there were few (competent) witnesses around to say what happened. I'm not sure if I ever felt like I "knew" Puss, or for that matter even Tommy, but the book amply demonstrates how people with such promising futures could mess up their lives due to partying, drugs and alcohol, in a decade that seemed to revel in it all.


Summary: A solid true-life story of social change at its fastest pace
Rating: 5

A DAY IN THE LIFE: ONE FAMILY, THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, AND THE END OF THE SIXTIES tells how an ideal marriage between two members of the English upper class fell part as the psychedelic dreams of the 50s became the hard-rock of the 80s. Using Tommy Weber and Susan Coriat as an example, the 60s and sentiments come to life in a solid true-life story of social change at its fastest pace.


Summary: Sex Drugs & Rock & Roll - A True Story of Beautiful Flawed family in London
Rating: 5

One of the most watched couples in London during the 1960's was Tommy Weber and Susan Coriat. They had beauty and youth and power and knew everyone that mattered. A Day in the Life is the fascinating story of what happens when there is too much drugs, sex, and rock and roll.


Summary: A Day in the Life
Rating: 5

Wonderfully written account of a family that gets caught in the crossfire of the 60's counterculture revolution, which included all the sex, drugs and rock n roll possible. Enjoyed learning about the personal histories that led up to this trainwreck of a family. Even more intriquing is that we know the offspring as actors in the public eye. A real page-turner.


Summary: Day in the Life, of a 60's fool
Rating: 3

I bought this book because Robert Greenfield is a respected writer. The topic of 60's 'Swinging London' is of interest. The book is only 280 pages. It is basically about rich English youth in the 60's that get too into drugs, get to hang-out with the Rolling Stones a little bit and indulge themselves. Their big mistake was they had two little boys, who obviously, and rightly, now trash their self-absorbed irresponsible parents for their unstable chilhood. I am also a baby boomer, like the characters in the book. Without a doubt the most selfish generation in the history of the world. This book is not bad, but really should have been a magazine article as only the last 100 pages were worth reading.
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Mastering Witchcraft



Mastering Witchcraft
Paul Huson | 1980-12-05 00:00:00 | Perigee Trade | 256 | Wicca
A guide that reveals the rites, signs, omens and step-by-step secrets of the art of witchcraft. Included is information about powers and their attainment, casting spells, initiation rituals and recipes.
Reviews
This book style is very direct and to the point. This book is about teaching the magician how to direct their will for desired change. There is no prolonged discussion of "ethics".



I don't think it's necessary to say the lords prayer backwards in order to initiate yourself into the craft. I don't think manipulative love magic is mentally, emotionally, or spiritually healthy.



Aside from these issues, the information on consecration and use of magical tools, and the herbal info is on target.
Reviews
I really don't understand why Wiccans get so offended by magic that doesn't conform to their ethical standards. Mr. Huson is simply presenting factual information about magic; he isn't forcing anyone to curse or bind people. He leaves that choice entirely up to the reader. There really isn't anything to get so upset about.



Having said that, I think this is a great book. I especially liked the fact that Huson's views of witchcraft are neither religious nor influenced by awful New Age ideas. I like the fact that he doesn't force anything on the reader, and lets the reader decide for himself what is important. I also found Huson's ideas about archetypes very interesting. Even though there is mention of gods in spells and in the general body of the text, these gods are more along the lines of archetypes that are somewhere within the individual. They are psychological forces more than they are actual theistic presences. As an atheist and a materialist, this seems completely natural to me, and greatly added to my enjoyment of the book. In my view, Huson takes a more pragmatic and psychological look at the practice of witchcraft than the other occult, New Age, Wiccan writers could ever have mustered.
Reviews
While there may be some magical techniques in the book, it has very little, if anything to do with pagan religions, or witchcraft. Saying a prayer backwards might be good for the movies, but other than being borderline gibberish, borderline teenybopper rebel satanist, is not a good way to truly start. And loving that after he instructs you to do this, gives you a "blessed be".
Reviews
You will either love this book or hate it. Many people think this book contains material that can be a little dark, but I don't think it is. I feel this book is very balanced and gives you the information that you need to have to advance in your witchcraft studies. It is good to receive a good perspective from others who practice different forms of witchcraft to really get a feel for what is out their, this book is another approach.



I feel that you can learn a lot from this book .... The last section, The coven and how to form one, is an excellent book that can give you a standnig stone on how to form your own coven if you are thinking about it.



The spells presented in this book are pretty traditional and good information. It is worth the read.



Much Love & Many Blessings,

Thorn Nightwind
Reviews
I wish that there was a way to have actually stated on the rating drop-down "0 Star"



The VERY first give away that this book was complete rubbish whaat when Mr. Hudson referred to himself as a "warlock". It was downhill from there.



When speaking to Anthropology classes studying religion, magic and witchcraft, this is my example of a "do not buy".



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Handbuch der Altertumswissenschaft, Bd.1/2, Griechische Grammatik



Handbuch der Altertumswissenschaft, Bd.1/2, Griechische Grammatik
Eduard Schwyzer,Walter Otto,Hermann Bengtson,Iwan von Müller | 1988-01-01 00:00:00 | C.H.Beck | 714 | Subjects

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Faster Smarter HTML & XML (Bpg-Other)



Faster Smarter HTML & XML (Bpg-Other)
Michael Morrison | 2002-12-13 00:00:00 | Microsoft Press | 352 | Microsoft
Now you can code your own Web pages--and produce impressive features and effects--faster, smarter, and better. This friendly, high-energy guide makes it easy learn about HTML, XML, style sheets, Dynamic HTML (DHTML), eXtensible HTML (XHTML), and more.
Reviews
I love this book! It's been a few years since I worked exclusively in HTML and this book was a great review even if I did skip some. But it has more than HTML, it introduces scripting, CSS, XML and I believe XHTML. So far I'm on the CSS section.



The reason I love this book is that it's a great read and very easy to follow. The author makes sure you know what you're doing and introduces things slowly so you can get confident with them. This book may not be a reference book but it really is great for beginners in any of the technologies it introduces.



The one con I can think of is that this is a slightly older book and some of the code doesn't seem to work any more. However, most of the code does and at least he teaches you the techniques and stuff. That is what's really important.
Reviews
I'm new to web programming & design, and this book was extremely useful.
Reviews
The book was written for absolute beginners. It assumes the readers don't know anything about the web. It is not a good reference at all. Everything was written in an essay-like format; it makes it very hard to spot or even find tag names or key words. After wasting my time in the first 2 chapters, I am going to buy another book.
Reviews
This book is great, in fact, I used it in order to make my own page.
Reviews
This book is nice book, but has some bad parts to it as well. This certainly not a book for people who already know HTML and are just looking to get all the fine little details that make websites so good. There is no coverage on HTML forms, colored scrollbars, details in anchor tags, or anything like that. Its very thorough in the stuff it covers, but misses too much to make up for it. I was severly dissapointed

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Social Protection in Africa



Social Protection in Africa
Frank Ellis,Stephen Devereux,Philip White | 2009-04-30 00:00:00 | Edward Elgar Publishing | 294 | Economics
This timely book makes accessible to a broad audience the ideas, principles and practicalities of establishing effective social protection in Africa. It focuses on the major shift in strategy for tackling hunger and vulnerability, from emergency responses mainly in the form of food transfers to predictable cash transfers to the chronically poorest social groups.

The first part of the book comprises nine theme chapters, covering vulnerability, targeting, delivery, coordination, cost-effectiveness, market impacts, and asset effects, while the second part consists of fifteen social protection case studies. The continuous interplay between these two parts makes for a unique contribution to the contemporary literature on social protection. The book takes a positive and forward looking view regarding the feasibility of achieving successful social transfers to the poorest in Africa; nevertheless, a critical stance is taken where appropriate, and unresolved strategic issues regarding the targeting, coverage and scale of social transfers are highlighted.

Social Protection in Africa is an essential read for personnel, advisors and consultants working for aid donors, United Nations agencies, NGOs and governments on social transfer programmes in sub-Saharan African countries. In addition, the book represents a valuable resource for training courses on social protection, and will be vital reading for Masters level students and researchers studying emergency relief, social protection, vulnerability and poverty reduction in low-income countries.

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Fundamentals, Volume 1, Handbook of Liquid Crystals



Fundamentals, Volume 1, Handbook of Liquid Crystals
Edited by: Dietrich Demus | 1998-03-10 00:00:00 | Wiley-VCH | 950 | Engineering
The Handbook of Liquid Crystals is a unique compendium of knowledge on all aspects of liquid crystals. In over 2000 pages the Handbook provides detailed information on the basic principles of both low- and high-molecular weight materials, as well as the synthesis, characterization, modification, and applications (such as in computer displays or as structural materials) of all types of liquid crystals.

The five editors of the Handbook are internationally renowned experts from both industry and academia and have drawn together over 70 leading figures in the field as authors.

The four volumes of the Handbook are designed both to be used together or as stand-alone reference sources. Some users will require the whole set, others will be best served with a selection of the volumes.

Volume 1 deals with the basic physical and chemical principles of liquid crystals, including structure-property relationships, nomenclature, phase behavior, characterization methods, and general synthesis and application strategies. As such this volume provides an excellent introduction to the field and a powerful learning and teaching tool for graduate students and above.

Volume 2 concentrates on low-molecular weight materials, for example those typically used in display technology. A high quality survey of the literature is provided along with full details of molecular design strategies, phase characterization and control, and applications development. This volume is therefore by far the most detailed reference source on these industrially very important materials, ideally suited for professionals in the field.

Volume 3 concentrates on high-molecular weight, or polymeric, liquid crystals, some of which are found in structural applications and others occur as natural products of living systems. A high-quality literature survey is complemented by full detail of the synthesis, processing, analysis, and applications of all important materials classes. This volume is the most comprehensive reference source on these materials, and is therefore ideally suited for professionals in the field.

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The Neuroendocrine Immune Network in Ageing, Volume 4 (NeuroImmune Biology)



The Neuroendocrine Immune Network in Ageing, Volume 4 (NeuroImmune Biology)
R.H. Straub,E. Mocchegiani | 2004-10-15 00:00:00 | Elsevier Science | 456 | Nutrition
The book describes the mechanisms involved in the maintenance of neuroendocrine-immune interactions in ageing. The lack of this maintenance leads to the appearance of age-related diseases (cancer, infections, dementia) and subsequent disability. The capacity of some hormones or nutritional factors in restoring and remodelling the neuroendocrine-immune response during ageing is reported presenting possible new anti-ageing strategies in order to reach healthy ageing and longevity.

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Hegel: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)



Hegel: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
Peter Singer | 2001-12-06 00:00:00 | Oxford University Press, USA | 152 | Philosophy
Hegel is regarded as one of the most influential figures on modern political and intellectual development. After painting Hegel's life and times in broad strokes, Peter Singer goes on to tackle some of the more challenging aspects of Hegel's philosophy. Offering a broad discussion of Hegel's ideas and an account of his major works, Singer explains what have often been considered abstruse and obscure ideas in a clear and inviting manner.
Reviews
Peter Singer is a world class philosopher and moral theorists, albeit one whose main works I find unconvincing. Nor do I regularly read Oxford's "Very Short Introduction" series. But I really enjoyed Singer's short book on Karl Marx (Marx (A Brief Insight)), which is the best overview I know of the thoughts of Das Kapital's author. I may disagree with Singer's philosophy, but he is a clear thinker and talented writer.



Unfortunately, Singer's book on Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831) while still well written, is less lucid than his book on Marx. This is mostly due to the difference between the philosophies of Hegel and his those of his later day disciple: Marx's ideas were frequently wrong, often bizarre, and sometimes naïve, but they were, mostly at least, intelligible. Despite Singer's great efforts, most of Hegel's writing remains utterly mysterious, a blur of surreal concepts about the destinies of such ill defined entities as Geist, and concepts (such as 'Freedom') taken far from their regular usage.



Freedom, for example, does not mean the ability to do as you please. Since what you please is conditioned on your genetic makeup and upbringing, it is not 'you' who chooses. Your choice is only free if you cleanse yourself of all these influences and follow only the dictates of pure reason. But this bizarre concept of Freedom is not all that Hegel meant by Freedom. Freedom is also an element of the human condition that is developed throughout history; It is the condition of a society organized along rational principle. Such utopian society is the (or one of the) goals of history (why would anyone think that history has goals is never satisfactory explained), and so Hegel's "Philosophy of History" is a phantasmagorical historical account of various civilizations which purports to show how freedom evolved through the ages until it reaches its pinnacle in the Prussian state. Or, to be entirely fair to Hegel, in a somewhat more liberal version of the Prussian state.



As far as I can tell, Hegel gave no arguments for believing in any of his wild theories. He could sometimes make vaguely plausible critiques of the wild theories of his predecessors, but never marshal any positive evidence for any of his own. His theories are not only wild, they are also Delphic in their meaning; Singer repeatedly admits that he can't make sense of Hegel's work.



And yet, despite his opacity and evidence free fantasizing, or maybe because of them, one can almost find parts and passages of Hegel that are enlightening or interesting. I strongly suspect that these passages are interesting because blurry - they are like abstract art, their meaning is in the eye of the beholder. So unlike Marx's philosophy, Hegel's might mean something because it is meaningless.



On the other hand, Hegel's concept of the "dialectical method" - that ideas come in the form of thesis-antithesis-synthesis, is interesting and worthwhile. Obviously not all ideas develop in this form, and sometimes ideas are presented as a synthesis of previous ideas to make them seem moderate and considered, but the dynamic is apparent.



Singer's book about Hegel is less satisfying than his book on Marx also because Singer doesn't engage as much with Hegel's ideas; He does defend Hegel from the criticism leveled against him by Karl Popper (although he doesn't whitewash him as a previous reviewer implied), he criticizes a few of Hegel's wilder ideas and talks a little about his successors, particularly, of course, Marx. But Singer never tries to assess or contextualize what is still worthwhile of Hegel's thought. He settles for clearing the fog around Hegel's ideas, and paradoxically risks eliminating the only thing that gives them meaning.
Reviews
My interest i Hegel, which isn't great, is more an interest in Marx. Hegel is not a favorite, but to understand Karl it may be necessary to understand Georg. I grew up on Hegel and Marx. My father was a far left winger who was crushed by the failure of Communism and the unending life of the church. If my mother hadn't forbidden it my first words would have been "Religion is the opiate of the people." You understandably have no interest in my family--very dull indeed--so on to our study for this day. Where does this book fit in the study of philosophy or history for that matter.



We can't cover every aspect of Hegel's thought here, not am I able to, so let's pick on Religion. "Orthodox religion is . . . a brrier to the goal of restoring man to a state of harmony, for it makes man subordinate his own powers of thought to an external authority (page 9)." Hegel was according to our author an adherent to the Lutheran religion. He has been mistaken as a humanist in religion, but it is too simple a designation for a certainly complex man.



A person who thinks cannot be fitted into an easy mold. Hegel is no different. We as humans like our heroes and villains to be all of one or another thing, it makes life so much simpler, as the saying "ignorance is bliss" and thinking is hell. If you are a thinking person welcome to HELL.
Reviews
Given the space restrictions, I doubt that many people would be able to explain Hegel's thought in more than a simplistic fashion. I bought the book to see what Singer has to say about Hegel, and in that department I would have liked more commentary. As it stands, it's just a very simple intro to Hegel, one perhaps aimed at beginners.




Reviews
The VSI series has produced some terrific introductions (notably, Scruton's Kant) but this falls well short. Of course, Hegel's density and obscurity present some unique challenges but Singer's exegesis it extremely flat. Unfortunately, I can't recommend a nice, short introduction to Hegel. As far as I know, no one has yet accomplished this difficult task. However, for those with some philosophy background, I would highly recommend Justus Hartnack's "An Introduction to Hegel's Logic." Because its object is Hegel's Logic, you won't find much discussion of the Phenomenology or his work on history. However, in a brilliantly concise 124 pages, Hartnack concisely digests and summarizes Hegel's most difficult work. It's really helpful for understanding how the dialectic works.
Reviews
This is about the fifth of the Very Short Introduction series I read. Although I didn't know much about Hegel's works before reading this book, I feel that the author does a good job introducing "Hegel" in a well-balanced, well-rounded way, in that he talks about how Hegel fits into the historical context and about other historical figures who influenced him and who he influenced.



It was helpful for me that the author introduced the "dialectical method" that you hear so often about, in a clear, concise way. Apparently, the author doesn't cover all of Hegel's major works, but overall he does a good job getting the reader interested in Hegel's works enough that he would look into Hegel's works in more detail on subjects that interest him.

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The Food of a Younger Land: A Portrait of American Food--Before the National Highway System, Before Chain Restaurants, and Before Frozen Food, When the Nation's Food Was Seasonal



The Food of a Younger Land: A Portrait of American Food--Before the National Highway System, Before Chain Restaurants, and Before Frozen Food, When the Nation's Food Was Seasonal
Mark Kurlansky | 2009-05-14 00:00:00 | Riverhead Hardcover | 416 | History
A remarkable portrait of American food before World War II, presented by the New York Times-bestselling author of Cod and Salt.

Award-winning New York Times-bestselling author Mark Kurlansky takes us back to the food and eating habits of a younger America: Before the national highway system brought the country closer together; before chain restaurants imposed uniformity and low quality; and before the Frigidaire meant frozen food in mass quantities, the nation's food was seasonal, regional, and traditional. It helped form the distinct character, attitudes, and customs of those who ate it.

In the 1930s, with the country gripped by the Great Depression and millions of Americans struggling to get by, FDR created the Federal Writers' Project under the New Deal as a make-work program for artists and authors. A number of writers, including Zora Neale Hurston, Eudora Welty, and Nelson Algren, were dispatched all across America to chronicle the eating habits, traditions, and struggles of local people. The project, called "America Eats," was abandoned in the early 1940s because of the World War and never completed.

The Food of a Younger Land unearths this forgotten literary and historical treasure and brings it to exuberant life. Mark Kurlansky's brilliant book captures these remarkable stories, and combined with authentic recipes, anecdotes, photos, and his own musings and analysis, evokes a bygone era when Americans had never heard of fast food and the grocery superstore was a thing of the future. Kurlansky serves as a guide to this hearty and poignant look at the country's roots.

From New York automats to Georgia Coca-Cola parties, from Arkansas possum-eating clubs to Puget Sound salmon feasts, from Choctaw funerals to South Carolina barbecues, the WPA writers found Americans in their regional niches and eating an enormous diversity of meals. From Mississippi chittlins to Indiana persimmon puddings, Maine lobsters, and Montana beavertails, they recorded the curiosities, commonalities, and communities of American food.
Reviews
In the 1930s the Work Projects Administration, in order to provide work during the Depression, commissioned The Federal Writers Project. Their first project was writing a set of guidebooks to America. Their second project was America Eats, documenting food and eating traditions in America. When the WPA closed, many projects, including America Eats, were placed in file boxes and stored.



When the author, an award-winning food writer, went through the files of America Eats at the Library of Congress, he found a treasure trove of information. This book is a selection of some of the stories and recipes he found. They are organized as America Eats was to be organized: foods and eating in The Northeast, The South, The Middle West, The Far West and The Southwest. The end of the book lists local cookbooks submitted by several states for America Eats.



It's fun to read the food past of the area in which you have lived or grew up before there were freeways, fast food restaurants and TV dinners.
Reviews
This book is a wonderful reminder of how unique we Americans were from region to region back in the "olden" days. Our country has become more homogenized since the 1930's with the advent of such things as the highway system, air transportation, and now the internet. Mark Kurlansky's book recalls a time when our seperateness and our unique backgrounds revealed itself in our cooking and traditions.



The last time our economy went down the stink hole there was no such thing as unemployment benefits to those who lost their jobs. But for the first time we did have a President that thought the government should play a role in helping it's citizens get back on their feet. One of the ways that he did this was by creating the Works Progress Administration (WPA).



One of the best things about this program was that President Roosevelt didn't leave the artists standing on the sidelines. Among the programs of the WPA was the Federal Writers Project created to give writers an opportunity to earn some needed income. One of their projects was to go across the land finding local writers to describe their best, most unique, and clearly local cuisine.



Then the war came along and the project ended, but all the writings remained for an intrepid author like Mark Kurlansky to find for us. Kurlansky has mostly left the original writings intact and does not overly interject which makes it refreshing. He mostly leaves it to his reader to sift through the old slang, slurs, and general descriptions that wouldn't be used today. It gives the book a genuine quality and reminds you throughout that these were written 70 plus years ago.



The book is broken down into regions starting with the Northeast and Johnny Cakes, Oyster Stew from Grand Central (still available today), and the truly fun sounding Vermont Sugar Off. A Vermont sugar off was done on cold, cold mornings with a large group of family & friends getting together to harvest the syrup from the sugar maples. Talk about having a sweet tooth.



It is the south that really takes the cake for strange traditions and regional cooking. I found it highly entertaining to read about the Chitterling Strut. I had to wiki chitterling but after I did I was enthralled and slightly revolted. A chitterling is pig intestine, cleaned, steamed, and prepared in a number of ways. When a pig was slaughtered a great amount of chitterlings was prepared, everybody came and stuffed their faces and then danced the night away - a chitterling strut.



Another unforgettable food tradition was written about in the chapter titled "Cooking for the Threshers in Nebraska." Written from the point of view of a young woman who had participated every summer when she was a child, it reveals the jaw-dropping amount of work a farm wife had to do. When the wheat was ready for threshing all of the men from neighboring farms came to pitch in along with a number of their wives to help in the kitchen. Nothing was simple; eggs had to be collected, butter churned, cows milked, bread had to rise, and chickens needed to be plucked. They baked several cakes and pies, loaves and loaves of bread, sides of beef, potatoes, pickles, tomatoes, etc. And that was just for lunch!



Every region has something wonderful to offer from the Basques of Boise Valley,to salmon in the Pacific Northwest, Texas chuck wagons, and Southwestern barbecues. It is not a book of recipes, although you will find several of those, but more a delightful walk through the kitchens of America and the people that inhabit them.
Reviews
Talked with a friend about her drives around the USA in the 50's - 80's, and how everything was regional when she was young and became homogeneous over the years. Got her this book and she loved it! Reminded her of many things she saw and many she missed. All her friends are now sharing this book and sharing stories of the foods they grew up eating and wondering what happened to all those delicious recipes etc. Well, this book does have some small problems in writing and descriptions, but Kurlansky seems to do a great job pulling out the important parts and showing the story of how things came about. I like his leaving the original articles but explaining the contexts. Am probably going to have to buy another copy of this for other people now, it's started enough interest in people's foods from the past. I probably would like more historical context for the original articles because am not a USA historian and need to learn more of that anyway. Get this book and enjoy!
Reviews
Apparently this book based on another one written before. Would suggest the original text. This book seemed written to meet deadline only. Have enjoyed authors previous books. Not us to usual standard.
Reviews
If you are buying this for your Kindle, make sure you go to the one on the bottom of the list, or you won't get the full edition. They are being sold in sections on here and it is deceiving. The first section, The South Eats, is all you will get if you order the top. Yes, the title says "The South Eats" when you open it, but the print editions are not sold in sections, only as one book, so selling it off in sections is a bit on the deceptive side I would say.

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Timeline: A Novel



Timeline: A Novel
Michael Crichton | 2003-01-01 00:00:00 | Ballantine Books | 512 | Fiction Other
This was a great action packed novel that kept me entertained all the way through. This was a great tale of time travel to a much more violent time period. The characters definitely weren't great but the strength of the plot more than makes up for this. There was also an inconsistency in the author's description of time travel but this did not bother me a lot since the book focused on the action/adventure while the science aspect was just a minor point. This was a fun read all throughout and a recommend it heartily to anyone looking for a good yarn.
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IUTAM Symposium on Hamiltonian Dynamics, Vortex Structures, Turbulence: Proceedings of the IUTAM Symposium held in Moscow, 25-30 August, 2006 (IUTAM Bookseries)



IUTAM Symposium on Hamiltonian Dynamics, Vortex Structures, Turbulence: Proceedings of the IUTAM Symposium held in Moscow, 25-30 August, 2006 (IUTAM Bookseries)
Alexey V. Borisov | 2008-02-06 00:00:00 | Springer | 504 | Neural Networks

This work brings together previously unpublished notes contributed by participants of the IUTAM Symposium on Hamiltonian Dynamics, Vortex Structures, Turbulence (Moscow, 25-30 August 2006). The study of vortex motion is of great interest to fluid and gas dynamics: since all real flows are vortical in nature, applications of the vortex theory are extremely diverse, many of them (e.g. aircraft dynamics, atmospheric and ocean phenomena) being especially important. The last few decades have shown that serious possibilities for progress in the research of real turbulent vortex motions are essentially related to the combined use of mathematical methods, computer simulation and laboratory experiments. These approaches have led to a series of interesting results which allow us to study these processes from new perspectives. Based on this principle, the papers collected in this proceedings volume present new results on theoretical and applied aspects of the processes of formation and evolution of various flows, wave and coherent structures in gas and fluid. Much attention is given to the studies of nonlinear regular and chaotic regimes of vortex interactions, advective and convective motions. The contributors are leading scientists engaged in fundamental and applied aspects of the above mentioned fields.



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The Power of a Promise: Education and Economic Renewal in Kalamazoo



The Power of a Promise: Education and Economic Renewal in Kalamazoo
Michelle Miller-Adams | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | W.E. Upjohn Institute | 257 | Education
Reviews
As so many citizens and communities ponder ways to improve their economic futures and their public schools, the Kalamazoo Promise offers an innovative and powerful model for partnering education and economic development in truly transformative ways. While this book is educational and informative, it's accessible and interesting. The text would be

appropriate for use in a college classroom, just as it would inspire individuals looking for creative ways to effect measurable change on multiple levels.
Reviews
I found "The Power of a Promise: Education and Economic Renewal in Kalamazoo" an exciting, accessible, and challenging account that will be of interest to education and economic policy-makers, as well as community leaders eager to shake-up the status quo.



Rachel Galperin
Reviews
Very interesting read - especially the impact of secret donors for the scholarship! You hear from students, teachers, parents, businesses - and how so many lives are touched by the offer of a free college education. Would be a great book for a book club / college course on education issues.
Reviews
Book description:



When a group of anonymous donors announced in 2005 that they would send every graduate of the Kalamazoo Public Schools to college for free, few within or outside this midsized Michigan community understood the magnitude of the gesture. In the first comprehensive account of the Kalamazoo Promise, Miller-Adams addresses both the potential and challenges inherent in place-based universal scholarship programs and explains why this unprecedented experiment in education-based economic renewal is being emulated by scores of cities and towns around the nation.



"Michelle Miller-Adams captures the truly unique story of the Kalamazoo Promise without losing sight of the universal lessons it offers us. The Power of a Promise is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the future of economic and community development in our country." -- Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, State of Michigan



The book is available now from the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research: [...]

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Delegated Governance and the British State: Walking without Order



Delegated Governance and the British State: Walking without Order
Matthew Flinders | 2008-10-15 00:00:00 | Oxford University Press, USA | 296 | Law Enforcement
The delegation of functions and responsibilities to quasi-autonomous bodies operating with a significant degree of autonomy arguably empowers governments to address a wide range of social issues simultaneously without having to be involved with the minutiae of day-to-day socio-political interactions. Delegation therefore provides a structural and esoteric capacity beyond the cognitive and physical limits of politicians. There is nothing wrong with delegation as such. The problem relates to the failure to manage delegation in Britain. And yet we actually know very little about how the state beyond the core actually operates, how many bodies exist, what they do, how they are recruited, or why they were created. These gaps in our knowledge are all the more problematic in light of recent pronouncements by politicians at the national and European levels that 'depoliticization' is a central strand of their approach to governing. l
This book seeks to fill these gaps in our knowledge while at the same time cultivating a more balanced or sophisticated approach to the study of delegation. Delegated public bodies as they have been used as a tool of governance in the past should not be confused with how they might be used in the future. This book draws upon research conducted within the very core of the British political system during a Whitehall Fellowship within the Cabinet Office. It argues that the British state is 'walking without order' due to a general acceptance of the logic of delegation without any detailed or principled consideration of the administrative of democratic consequences of this process. In order to underline and develop this argument this book analyses the history of delegated governance in Britain before mapping out the topography of the state beyond the core. Delineating the contours of the state in this way, as well as drawing on theoretical models and insights that have been developed in not only other disciplines but also in relation to other governance frameworks, provides new perspectives on perennial themes and issues. It also raises new questions about the role of the state, the capacity for collective action, the need to reflect on the logic of delegation vis-à-vis specific models or forms of democracy, and the need to politicize the logic of delegation by locating it back within the sphere of public contestation. As such the research presented in this book and the conceptual framework it develops will be of interest to scholars, practitioners and politicians around the world with an interest in multi-level governance, public policy, and democratic design.

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Ethics of Economic Rationalism



Ethics of Economic Rationalism
John Wright | 2002-01-01 00:00:00 | University of New South Wales Press | 224 | Philosophy
The term "economic rationalism," closely tied to equally contentious terms like "neoliberalism, " "economic reform, " "structural adjustment," and "globalization," first entered the lexicon more than ten years ago. In this timely and exceptionally accessible work, philosopher John Wright tackles economic rationalism from a moral perspective. In non-technical language, he reviews the economic arguments for economic rationalism. He examines the ethnical defenses for economic rationalism, considers the many criticisms of economic rationalism, and weighs whether the moral defenses are truly valid.

Some of the many challenging issues the book confronts include:

Does economic rationalism work to maximize human happiness? Does inequality matter? Does the free market always ensure the survival of the economically 'fit?' Does the free market maximize individual liberties?
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Signals and Images: Contributions and Contradictions about High Dilution Research



Signals and Images: Contributions and Contradictions about High Dilution Research
Leoni Villano Bonamin | 2008-01-01 00:00:00 | Springer | 230 | Physics
The GIRI – Groupe International de Recherche sur l?Infinitesimal – was created in 1986 with the aim to gather researchers toward the high dilution questions, such as hormesis, isopathy, homeopathy and the phenomenological and conceptual differences among them. This is the only international scientific society organised exclusively to promote multidisciplinary forums about these subjects. Since 1990, a series of books titled "Signals and Images" has been published regularly by the initiative of Prof. Madeleine Bastide (1935-2007), containing the synthesis of most interesting lectures presented in the GIRI annual symposiums. This third volume "Signals and Images – Contributions and Contradictions about High Dilution Research" is a legacy from Prof. Madeleine Bastide to the GIRI members. Is a portrait of the GIRI scientific activities, which have been built to strengthen high dilutions and homeopathy through rigorously managed high-level research. It was organised in six parts: epistemology, experimental research / biology, experimental research / physics, clinical research, veterinary research and practice and an epilogue. All chapters were submitted to peer-review. To read it is an interesting way to reach up-to-dated knowledge about High Dilution Research, that has been developed in different parts of the world.
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ADVANCES IN CANCER RESEARCH, VOLUME 6, Volume 6 (v. 6)



ADVANCES IN CANCER RESEARCH, VOLUME 6, Volume 6 (v. 6)
Author Unknown | 1962-03-14 00:00:00 | Academic Press | 524 | Internal Medicine

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Thelocactus (Cactus File Handbook)



Thelocactus (Cactus File Handbook)
John Pilbeam | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | Cirio Publishing Services Ltd | 56 | Subjects

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For Education



For Education
Wilfred | 1995-01-01 00:00:00 | Open University Press | 145 | Education
A recent review of his work describes Wilfred Carr as 'one of the most brilliant philosophers now working in the rich British tradition of educational philosophy ... His work is rigorous, refreshing and original ... and examines a number of fundamental issues with clarity and penetration'.

In For Education Wilfred Carr provides a comprehensive justification for reconstructing educational theory and research as a form of critical inquiry. In doing this, he confronts a number of important philosophical questions. What is educational theory? What is an educational practice? How are theory and practice related? What is the role of values in educational research? Is a genuinely educational science possible? By appealing to developments in critical theory, the philosophy of science and the philosophy of the social sciences, Wilfred Carr provides answers to these questions which vindicate the idea of an educational science that is not 'on' or 'about' education but 'for education' - a science genuinely committed to promoting educational values and ideals.
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The Certified Quality Manager Handbook/With Supplemental Section (Asq)



The Certified Quality Manager Handbook/With Supplemental Section (Asq)
American Society for Quality,Quality Management Division,Asq Chemical & Process Industries Divisi | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | McGraw-Hill Companies | 522 | Quality Control
The Quality Management Division of the American Society for Quality has put together the ultimate preparatory guide for the Certified Quality Manager Exam. The Certified Quality Manager Handbook thoroughly describes each portion of the exam, providing insights, definitions, and sample exam questions. Each part also includes a bibliography for further reference. In addition to helping them pass the exam, quality managers will find the book very helpful as a desk reference.

Written in a collaborative effort by the Quality Management Division of ASQ, the Certified Quality Manager Handbook is one of the most comprehensive books ever on the subject of quality management, specifically on the Certified Quality Manager Exam. The book helps those seeking certification by providing a collection of study questions and answers, simulating those found on the actual exam. The included study questions are conveniently packaged in a separate removable booklet, meaning the main text can be brought into the exam and used in the open-book portion. In addition, the book features an in depth glossary providing definitions to terms that are crucial to the complete understanding of quality management and the passing of the certification exam.

The Certified Quality Manager Handbook does more than provide the information needed for passing the exam. It is also an excellent desk reference for those who want to learn more about quality management, including professionals who may already be certified. Written by a team of experts with years of experience in Quality Management, this book will be a great source of information for quality professionals, even years after completing the exam.
Reviews
* Features 1999 MBNQA criteria

* Only book organized exactly according to the Body of Knowledge

* Each chapter features its own bibliography

* Team of authors provides different perspectives leading to broader thinking

* All information is current and drawn from actual proven practices

[from the book of the back cover]

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Exercise and Solutions Manual to Accompany Foundations of Modern Macroeconomics



Exercise and Solutions Manual to Accompany Foundations of Modern Macroeconomics
Ben J. Heijdra, Laurie S.V. Reijnders, Ward E.Romp | 2009-01-01 00:00:00 | Oxford University Press | 624 | Management
This exercise and solutions manual accompanies Foundations of Modern Macroeconomics, Second Edition.
Foundations of Modern Macroeconomics deals with all the major topics, summarizes the important approaches, and gives students a coherent angle on all aspects of macroeconomic thought. Each chapter of the manual contains short answer questions followed by longer intermediate and advanced exercises. Hints and tips as well as full solutions are provided making this an invaluable aid to the main text.
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Free Electricity From The Sky


Free Electricity From The Sky
Creative Science & Research | 2001-01-01 00:00:00 | Creative Science & Research | 12 | Do It Yourself
This handbook explain two different methods to get free electricity from the sky by yourself. Warning: if you are not a professional in high voltage don't try to build them.
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Traditional Rating of Noise Versus Physiological Costs of Sound Exposures to the Hearing (Biomedical and Health Research)



Traditional Rating of Noise Versus Physiological Costs of Sound Exposures to the Hearing (Biomedical and Health Research)
H. Strasser | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | IOS Press | 240 | Personal Health
In occupational safety and health acts, ordinances, regulations, directives, standards and guidelines, A-weighted sound exposures, varying in level and duration, are traditionally converted to an 8-hour-average sound level by applying the 3-dB exchange rate. Under the prerequisite that the energy equivalent rating level does not exceed 85 dB(A)/8 h, even impulse noise exposures of up to 140 dB are declared harmless. Indeed, the mutual settlement of level and duration based on the concept of energy equivalence is correct as far as sound energy or physical dose is concerned. However, between this principle and work physiological and work psychological, i.e. ergonomics paradigms, some decisive discrepancies do exist, and the dose maxim cannot be accepted from an ergonomics point of view. People react to exposures according to human characteristics rather than 'function' according to the laws of physics as they apply to inert matter. This has been demonstrated by a series of new experimental approaches, in which temporary threshold shifts and their restitution associated with various energy equivalent noise exposures have been measured. Also the impact of various types of loud music has been investigated. In addition to the conventionally determined maximum threshold shift, TTS2, and the time it takes to reach the resting hearing level again, the area under the restitution curve, i.e. the integrated restitution temporary threshold shifts, indicate the total physiological costs the hearing has to pay for a preceding sound exposure. Quite different statistically significant physiological responses to equally rated and legally tolerated sound exposures (94 dB(A)/1 h / 85 dB(A)/8 h) have repeatedly been measured. These refute the concept of energy-equivalence along virtually all dimensions, for example, substantially underestimating the risk of impulse noise, legalizing the 'filling' of resting periods with noise, ignoring the fact that short-term, high continuous noise is even quite favourable for the hearing, or prognosticating drastic losses in attenuation after short time periods of not wearing hearing protective devices, making them sound worse than they are. This book is an attempt to increase the transparency in existing evaluation methods and - in the interest of pertinent disclosure of risks associated with common procedures - to work towards the elimination of unacceptable simplifications and dangerously erroneous assessments.

IOS Press is an international science, technical and medical publisher of high-quality books for academics, scientists, and professionals in all fields.

Some of the areas we publish in:

-Biomedicine
-Oncology
-Artificial intelligence
-Databases and information systems
-Maritime engineering
-Nanotechnology
-Geoengineering
-All aspects of physics
-E-governance
-E-commerce
-The knowledge economy
-Urban studies
-Arms control
-Understanding and responding to terrorism
-Medical informatics
-Computer Sciences

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Generation Ally. Warum es heute so kompliziert ist, eine Frau zu sein.



Generation Ally. Warum es heute so kompliziert ist, eine Frau zu sein.
Katja Kullmann | 2002-02-01 00:00:00 | Eichborn | 217 | Subjects

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How to Teach English Language Learners



How to Teach English Language Learners
Diane Haager, Janette K. Klingner, Terese C. Aceves | 2009-01-01 00:00:00 | Jossey-Bass | 208 | Dictionaries
This hands–on book offers teachers a much–needed resource that will help maximize learning for English Language Learners (ELLs). How to Teach English Language Learners draws on two wide–ranging teacher quality studies and profiles eight educators who have achieved exceptional results with their ELL students. Through highly readable portraits, the authors take readers into these teachers? classrooms, illustrating richly what it is they do differently that yields such great results from English learners. Because most teachers profiled work within a three–tiered Response–to–Intervention framework, the book shows how to implement RTI effectively with ELLs—from providing general reading instruction for the entire classroom to targeted interventions with struggling students. Written by noted ELL educators Diane Haager, Janette K. Klingner, and Terese Aceves, How to Teach English Language Learners is filled with inspiring success stories, teaching tips, activities, discussion questions, and reflections from these outstanding teachers.
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Unitary Transformations in Solid State Physics (Modern Problems in Condensed Matter Science, Vol 15)



Unitary Transformations in Solid State Physics (Modern Problems in Condensed Matter Science, Vol 15)
Max Wagner | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 | Elsevier Science Ltd | 374 | Electromagnetism
The main emphasis of this book is on the practical application of unitary transformations to problems in solid state physics. This is a method used by the author and his collaborators for years in the field of nonadiabatic electron-phonon phenomena where the Born-Oppenheimer approximation is no longer applicable. This book is intended as a tool for those who want to apply unitary transformations quickly and on a more elementary level and also for those who want to use this method for more involved problems. ``Unitary Transformations in Solid State Physics'' is divided into 6 chapters. The first three chapters are concerned with presenting quick applications of unitary transformations and chapter 4 presents a more systematic procedure. The last two chapters contain the major known examples of the utilization of unitary transformations in solid state physics, including such highlights as the Frohlich and the Fulton-Gouterman transformations. The book is supplemented by extended tables of unitary transformations, whose properties and peculiarities are also listed.

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Physiology by Numbers: An Encouragement to Quantitative Thinking



Physiology by Numbers: An Encouragement to Quantitative Thinking
Richard F. Burton | 2000-04-13 00:00:00 | Cambridge University Press | 252 | Pathophysiology
Thinking quantitatively about physiology is difficult for many students. However, it is fundamentally important for students to gain a proper understanding of many of the concepts involved. In this enlarged second edition of his popular textbook, Richard Burton gives the reader an opportunity to develop a feel for values such as ion concentrations, lung and fluid volumes, and blood pressures through the use of calculations requiring little more than simple arithmetic. The book provides guidance on how to avoid errors and the usefulness of approximation and "back-of-envelope sums." The topics discussed here include energy metabolism, nerve and muscle, blood and the cardiovascular system, respiration, renal function, body fluids, and acid-base balance. This book is essential reading for physiology students (and teachers) everywhere, both those who are shy or adept with numbers.

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Presenting in English: How to Give Successful Presentations



Presenting in English: How to Give Successful Presentations
Mark Powell | 1996-01-01 00:00:00 | Heinle ELT | 128 | English as a Foreign Language
PRESENTING IN ENGLISH is a breakthrough in teaching English for professional purposes. Its radical new approach combines the language and skills needed to give truly effective presentations.

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Law, Language, and Legal Determinacy (Clarendon Paperbacks)



Law, Language, and Legal Determinacy (Clarendon Paperbacks)
Brian Bix | 1996-01-04 00:00:00 | Oxford University Press, USA | 232 | Reference
This book discusses one of the central problems in the philosophy of law--the question of legal determinacy. Is the law a seamless web or are there gaps? Bix argues that the major re-thinking of the common and "common sense" views about law that have been proposed by various recent legal theories is unnecessary. He offers a reconsideration of the role of language in the law, and the way ideas about language have been used and misused in recent legal theory. He explores in depth the relationship to legal theory of Hart's influential idea of "open texture," Dworkin's interpretative approach to law, and Wittgenstein's philosophy.
Reviews
How do we follow rules? Is there an unique interpretation to a legal prescription, or language is dubious by nature? This questions are largely discussed in the later work of Brian Bix. In his oeuvre professor Bix confronts some of the most prominent authors of contemporary legal theory and philosophy of language as well. Varying from H.L.A. Hart's "open texture" to Ronald Dworkin's "legal answer thesis", the philosophy subjacent to the legal debate is exposed and revisited. Starting from the radical indeterminacy thesis, professor Bix discuss the (mis)interpretations of the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein's skeptical paradox (cf. "Philosophical Investigations", paragraph 201). Professor Bix argues that Wittgenstein conceptions about rule-following refer only to the "clear cases", i.e., cases which following the rule is reputed self-evident. That is to say: the rule-following thesis is worth only when one do not think before obeying the rule, when there is no "interpretation" in the strong sense of reflection. His point, however, somehow miss the main part of the issue. One possible exegesis of Wittgenstein's secondary philosophy is that all the rules are applied automatically or, at least, we could not determine when one stop to play the "language games". Wittgenstein uses the clear cases just as prototypes, small and simple models for study. Not withstanding the foregoing, professor Bix has exceeded his skills of legal argumentation, bringing forth a strong and well grounded book of jurisprudence.

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The 108 Skills of Natural Born Leaders



The 108 Skills of Natural Born Leaders
Warren Blank | 2001-05-21 00:00:00 | AMACOM | 272 | Guides
Some people appear to be "natural born leaders." But are they literally born that way? Or have they been taught, coached, rewarded, and reinforced in ways that enable them to be leaders?

According to The 108 Skills of Natural Born Leaders, no one is born a leader. But everyone has the natural born capacity to lead. We label people "natural born leaders" because they consistently and frequently model qualities that inspire others to commit to their direction.

This book identifies the skill set that causes others to see people as natural born leaders, helps readers assess their current level of these skills, and coaches readers to master their weak areas. Readers will learn:

* Foundation skills, including self-awareness and the ability to establish rapport
* Direction skills, including the ability to set a course and develop others as leaders
* Willing follower skills, including the ability to influence others and create a motivating environment.
Reviews
Gave this book to folks in our leadership training at work. Good practical tips for folks trying to understand how to enhance their leadership skills.
Reviews
This book is a random jamble of oddly-assembled cliches without direction or application. The writing style is comprised mainly of four to five word sentences, run together with little regard to flow or building a point. References are often cited with no explanation, and often as many as six references are made to other chapters within a single paragraph. The most useful advice in this book is "read articles or books about..." the topic at hand. At least the author admitted in this instance that he has no idea what he's talking about and had the decency to refer the reader elesewhere for advice. It's no surprise that no real publisher picked up this horrible book. It's easy to see this isn't as much a book as it is a collection of old-school powerpoint slides smashed together into a "book".
Reviews
Starting with a description of the basic categories of leadership skills (foundational, direction, and influence), the book provides a self-assessment instrument showing your match with an ideal profile, pointing up areas of strength and weakness. The remaining chapters describe the various skills, clustered by the basic categories. The reader should pick from the array of skills, and focus on those most important or which they want to stress in their repertoire. This is a highly useful self-development work. The book's value is entirely based on the seriousness of the reader in using it as a learning tool. Strongly recommended.
Reviews
The Nine Natural Laws of Leadership is interesting and valuable but The 108 Skills of Natural Born Leaders rises above and beyond. The message to me is that with attention to these laws and ideas, we all are (or can become) natural born leaders.

This newest Warren Blank book benefited me in many pratical and useful ways. I plan on buying one for my assistant and deputy and one for each of my division managers.
Reviews
I'm an avid reader of business, management, leadership books and 108 Skills is one of the best I've ever read! It provides literally hundreds of practical suggestions on "how-to" improve Leadership skills. I was able to apply many of the ideas immediately to my own work environment, with great results. I then made sure all of my management and staff got a copy -- which has definitely increased our ability to work efficiently as a team. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is seriously interested in improving their ability to Take Charge and lead oneself and others. In fact, I'm planning to use 108 Skills as a guide in our new training programs, and have great confidence that my employees will learn important skills for both their personal and professional lives.

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Information Technologies in Environmental Engineering: Proceedings of the 4th International ICSC Symposium Thessaloniki, Greece, May 28-29, 2009 (Environmental ... / Environmental Engineering) (v. 2)



Information Technologies in Environmental Engineering: Proceedings of the 4th International ICSC Symposium Thessaloniki, Greece, May 28-29, 2009 (Environmental ... / Environmental Engineering) (v. 2)
Ioannis N. Athanasiadis,Pericles A. Mitkas,Andrea E. Rizzoli,Jorge Marx Gómez | 2009-05-12 00:00:00 | Springer | 600 | Environmental Science

Information technologies have evolved to an enabling science for natural resource management and conservation, environmental engineering, scientific simulation and integrated assessment studies. Computing plays a significant role in every day practices of environmental engineers, natural scientists, economists, and social scientists. The complexity of natural phenomena requires interdisciplinary approaches, where computing science offers the infrastructure for environmental data collection and management, scientific simulations, decision support documentation and reporting.

Ecology, environmental engineering and natural resource management comprise an excellent real-world testbed for IT system demonstration, while raising new challenges for computer science. Complexity, uncertainty and scaling issues of natural systems form a demanding application domain for sensor networks and earth observation systems; modelling, simulation and scientific workflows, data management and reporting, decision support and intelligent systems, distributed computing environments, geographical information systems, heterogeneous systems integration, software engineering, accounting systems and control systems.

This books offers a collection of papers presented at the 4th International Symposium on Environmental Engineering, held in May 2009, in Thessaloniki, Greece. Recent success stories in ecoinformatics, promising ideas and new challenges are discussed among computer scientists, environmental engineers, economists and social scientists, demonstrating new paradigms for problem solving and decision making.



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Handbooks in Operations Research and Management Science, 1: Optimization



Handbooks in Operations Research and Management Science, 1: Optimization
G L Nemhauser,M J Todd,A HG Rinnooy Kan | 1989-08-01 00:00:00 | Butterworth Heinemann | 724 | Total Quality Management
Hardbound. Collected together in this book are ten expository articles on the most important topics in optimization, written by leading experts in the field. The book provides a primary reference for those performing research in some area of optimization or for those who have an elementary basic knowledge of optimization techniques but wish to learn the most up-to-date and efficient algorithms for particular classes of problems. The first sections of each chapter are expository and therefore accessible to master's level graduate students. However, the chapters also contain advanced material on current topics of interest to researchers. For instance, there are chapters which describe the polynomial-time linear programming algorithms of Khachian and Karmarkar and the techniques used to solve combinatorial and integer programming problems, an order of magnitude larger than was possible just a few years ago. The work contains a coherent view of the important
Reviews
I think it's a very useful handbook which contains the traditional optimization topics treated with the necessary theoretical emphasis.

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Beginner's Georgian



Beginner's Georgian
Dodona Kiziria | 2009-04-15 00:00:00 | Hippocrene Books | 290 | Instruction
This title includes a book and 2 CDs. Business people and travellers seeking easy access to the Georgian language will benefit from this book, which includes and introduction to Georgia, 13 practical lessons centred on everyday situations, review exercises, glossaries, and two audio CDs with correct pronunciation by native speakers.
Reviews
I am a reviewer who is neither linguist nor scholar, but nevertheless has a need to learn conversational Georgian. Since January 2009, I purchased whatever I could find available, and have these texts and tools for comparison: 1) Aronson's Georgian: A Reading Grammar (only available without CDs at the time); 2) book2 English-Georgian for beginners from Goethe-Verlag; 3) Talk Now! Georgian; 4) Byki Express and Byki Deluxe.

Dodona Kiziria's Beginner's Georgian is far and away the BEST book to start with. Her introduction is easily readable, comprehensive, and incorporates current events, an absolute necessity for those learning at the high school level. Her system of pronunciation, unlike Aronson's, is simple, allowing learners to write transliterated Georgian on a standard English querty keyboard. I especially appreciated the lessons in polite behavior displayed in the conversational lessons and Culture Notes in each chapter.

A teacher's true genius lies in order and pacing: Ms. Dodona's book is such a masterpiece. A difficulty I had, differentiating aspirated and unaspirated consonant sounds, was dealt with simply and at the very beginning. Useful words and expressions, including numbers, how to tell time and date, and how to address family members are up front in a separate chapter, allowing one to practice these on a daily basis as a language warmup.

The other books, CDs, and programs I have all have something valuable to offer. But take my advice: start HERE!




Reviews
I agree wholeheartedly with the previous reviewer's comments. After cobbling together my own Georgian lessons from online material, Aronson's Reading Grammar, and Essentials of Georgian Grammar (which was VERY expensive), I was still limited to saying things like "That's a big cheetah!" Needless to say, I was still on the lookout for something that would help me communicate with people in Georgia. This text provides the essential phrases you want for interacting with people in Georgian without getting bogged down in the complicated verbal system. By the time you work through the material in this book, you'll have a solid basis for further exploration into this language.



I also only give it 4/5 stars because there are very few exercises--the dialogues are great, but eventually you have to learn how to create your own dialogues. I might also want some more extensive thematic vocabulary lists around food, etc.
Reviews
Georgian has been a very overlooked language. Though there are a few textbooks out there that are easy enough to find, they tend to be either inaccessible in someway or expensive. And there are even fewer textbooks that come with audio. In fact, only Aronson's Georgian Reading Grammar comes with audio (aside from this book). And audio is VERY important to learning this language.



Now, to the actual text it self. The lessons are written in clear, conversational language. Whereas Aronson's text is for reading comprehension, this text it for speaking/listening comprehension. This is a much needed textbook and breath of fresh air to Georgian linguistics. The grammar sections are easy to understand and not bogged down with a lot of linguistic jargon. And the exercises have an answer key in the back of the book.



Now, the audio. The audio is great. You can hear the speakers very well and clearly. The dialogues are repeated twice. Once at normal speed and then at a slower speed for you to repeat after. Even the vocabulary lists are spoken on the cd's. The only thing that is a shame is that there are no speaking/listening exercises on the cd's (thus a 4 out of 5 instead of 5 out of 5).



Overall this is a great textbook though.

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Wetland and Water Resource Modeling and Assessment: A Watershed Perspective (Integrative Studies in Water Management & Land Deve)



Wetland and Water Resource Modeling and Assessment: A Watershed Perspective (Integrative Studies in Water Management & Land Deve)
Wei Ji | 2007-12-13 00:00:00 | CRC Press | 312 | Economics
As a wetland of international importance located in China, the Poyang Lake Basin's incredible topographical and biological diversity has provided a congregating point for scientists from around the world to engage in cross-disciplinary research. In particular, the International Conference on Poyang Lake Complex Environment System was instrumental in bringing together scholars from China, North America, and Europe to explore the latest innovations in water resource science and watershed management.

Featuring cutting-edge research in watershed management presented at this landmark event, Wetland and Water Resource Modeling Assessment pairs the accounts of Poyang Lake with additional information on the important watersheds of North America and Asia to help facilitate the development of decision support tools.

The book explains that successful ecosystem assessment and modeling requires three key criteria:

1. Large spatial scales in data collection and analysis must be used to encompass major watershed features
2. Landscape features are needed to appropriately characterize hydrological processes and ecosystem components
3. Management decisions must be linked to results to facilitate ecosystem assessment
Through the study of the diverse watersheds featured in Wetland and Water Resource Modeling Assessment, such as Poyang Lake, government, academia, and Industry can obtain the innovative technical tools needed to stay on top of this active field.

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