This highly rated manual, covers just about every practical and tangible theoretical introduction to the full design and/up to implementation cycle of MH projects, all in about 370 pages. It is important that it was written and amply illustrated not only with detailed schematics, but also with actual pictures from original installations in developing countries, which makes a viable aid in comprehending the "actual picture". The chapters covered detail a syllabus in: Components and Design of an MH Scheme, Cost benefit estimations, Hydrology and site survey, Flow prediction, Civil works and operational parts (all aspects from Weirs to Penstocks), Commercial engineering, Turbines (including reverse pumps), Governing, Drive systems, a very thorough presentation of the -cumbersome- Electrical Power System aspects, along with Operational, Maintenance, Financial and Commissioning aspects. Should there be something more for an engineer to wish for, would be more info on turbines -something you would expect to find in a specialized book on the subject anyway. The book should provide a valuable asset not only to MH engineers, but to Renewable Energy Technology engineers as well, since it is progressively becoming apparent that a combination of RET along with Pumped Storage and MH, presents a highly attractive opportunity for both developed and developing countries

The insight given in this book is, without a doubt, beneficial not just to mankind, but also and especially developing countries. I highly recommend.

This book describes all the aspects involved in gettting a micro hydro plant running. It has the right blend of "The birds eye view" on the subject, very useful to people, new to the subject as well as "earth worm view": You can use this use this book as a guide to select the right kind of drive pulley for you plant.

... In war, human lives are like dust
as bullets and arrows fly with death.
The wandering ghosts, the lost souls
make the scene still more mournful.
There were children, just tiny things,
born in a bad time,
separated from their parents.
No one was there to hold them close.
Heart-rending were their infant cries.

-Nguyen Du (1765-1820)

During the start of the 20th century, the countries of Europe increased in hostility towards one another. Few imagined a continental war. Even now, few of us can even imagine such a war, let alone what happened on Sept 11th. It is horrifying to imagine that in fact, it could happen a third time and repeat itself with alarming frequency until the end of time. In this cycle of violence, it seems man will never learn how to achieve peace.

What this book does, is take a look at the devastating first-hand reports and contemporary photographs of the battles that slaughtered millions.

The contents include:

Divided Europe - Aggressive policies and arrogant behavior.
The Fatal Shot - Assassination on June 28, 1914
War in the West - Interesting picture of Christmas pudding that was
sent as a gift to soldiers in 1914
Fighting Men - How the lives of millions of men changed
Enlisting - See what a survival kit looked like
Digging in the Trenches -The philosophy behind how the trenches were constructed
is interesting.
Life in the Trenches - Dealing with rats, lice and mud
Ready to Fight - weapons used during raids

Communications and Supplies - missile messages and postal pigeons
Observation and Patrol - Artificial trees and barbed wire. You can see how
adaptations were made during the war for various reasons.
Bombardment - Body armor and shell power
Over the Top - Pictures of men leaving the trenches and tending to the wounded>
Casualty - 21 million wounded
Women at War - Supporting the troops
War in the Air - Aircraft guns and fighter planes
Zeppelin - Early in the war, airships could fly higher than planes so it
was almost impossible to shoot them down.
War at Sea - Life inside a U-Boat
Gallipoli - Tin cans made into grenades
The battle of Verdun - "What a bloodbath, what horrid images, what a slaughter. I just cannot find the words to express my feelings. Hell cannot be this dreadful." ~Albert Joubaire
Gas Attack - What happened if the wind blew in the wrong direction?
The Eastern Front - Why Russian soldiers refused to fight at some point.
War in the desert - Pictures of Lawrence of Arabia's rifle and shoes called "sand shoes."
Espionage - A short story of secret ink, invisible ink, button messages, Mata Hari, hidden messages in tin cans, army intelligence, pocket cameras.
Tank warfare - See inside a tank
The US enters the war - pictures of infantry equipment
Under enemy lines - Pictures of the most horrendous conditions
The Final Year - Timeline of the end of the war
Armistice and Peace - Read about the Peace Treaties
The Cost of the War - The reality of war = death. Pictures of memorials.

I think it is good for children to read this type of book to see where we have been and where we don't want to go again.

This book is an excellent guide of the largest employers in the Phoenix Metropolitan area and other parts of the state. It is also a good reference guide to see what type of industries are in the valley of the sun and where they are located. The book contains sections on job hunting and helpful hints. I would highly recommend it.

"Ultimate X-Men" was the second title released in the "Ultimate" series, just after "Ultimate Spider-man" came out. Spidey was awesome, but with what little information that had slipped out regarding the new X-Men relaunch, the book looked to be disappointing. But it wasn't.

The new title is nothing short of gripping from page one. Scribe Mark Millar has done amazing things with the retelling, taking risky liberties that pay off. His X-Team initially starts off with Marvel Girl(who sports a punk rocker's hairdo) and Cyclops(Every bit the same boyscout in the Claremont run) who recruit Beast, Storm, and Colossus. Their first mission is to retrieve Bobby Drake, who's being hunted down by Sentinals, but Magneto has his own agendas as well.

The differences from the original are mostly good. The characters are far from being as lighthearted as their normal universe counterparts. Beast's mother refuses to speak with him. Colossus was a Russian arm's dealer and Storm, a small-time carjacker and pickpocket. Magneto is every bit as charismatic and frightening as he well should be. And Wolverine ... well, let's just say he's working freelance.

Millar's dialouge is always very strong and well thought out. Through the first storyarc, he'll do thinks that will make you balk and then appreciate the originality of it all. The Kubert brothers' art works perfectly, always detailed and well paced.

Now, what's bad? Very little. With such a large cast of mutants, many fan-favorites don't make appearances until much later on, if at all. Mystique was a full fledged member of the team in Millar's rough drafts, but not at all present in the final work. Nightcrawler, a personal favorite, appears in the second storyarc collected here, and plays a significant role, but is absent from the later issues. But one should read this for the story, not the charcters. In addition, the second story doesn't seem to really go anywhere. It's good, not as good as the first, but it seems there was more that could've, or should've been done with the plot.

All-in-all, this collection isn't a must-have, but a good read and worth owning if you're a fan of the X-Men. It may not be perfect, but it comes darn close.

I have collected comics for many years, and I know when I read a good comic. HERE IT IS! Not only is the art amazing but the story gets you hooked. My only complaint is WHERE'S THE ANGEL? and on that note whers Shadowcat, or Gambit, or Banshee, or Havok, or Polaris, ect.

This hardcover combines the first two story arcs in this series: The Tomorrow People and Return to Weapon-X. Millar's take on the X-Men is new and refreshing. Using Marvel's new Ultimate universe, changes have been made to continuity to conform to the new story line. The team is different, the characters younger, and their powers a little stronger. The writing is tight and humerous, and the stories, especially the first one, are riveting. Millar does a good job combining characterization and action. These two story lines, especially the first one, are wonderful. The series has started to go downhill a little since, but this book is a must read for any X-Men fan.

This book tells the story of a cattle drive from the Rio Grande to Montana in 1882. It was written in 1903 by a former cowboy who gives us a clear and candid picture of the hardships of the cattle drive. The book provides insights into the strengths and weaknesses, the good points and bad points of the men we call Cowboys. In additon to telling the story of the hardships of the trail, the book gives us samples of the tales told around the campfire at the end of the long day. Recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the Old West; required reading for anyone who wants to write Westerns.

This book is a lot of fun to read, taking the reader back in time to a late-1800s cattle drive from Texas to Montana. The book is written well with spare prose, wit and exceptional details about a cowboy's often difficult and sometimes boring life on the trail. There's refreshingly little of the syrup found in so many western stories. It's written simply enough for pre-teens interested in the west, yet it will yield a lot of enjoyment for the seasoned reader.

Marvel created the "Ultimate" line of books to try to entice new readers by scrapping decades of complex continuity in favor of a fresh start. Supposedly, no prior knowledge of the books or their characters are necessary for you to get a good read that won't leave you scratching your head in bewilderment. So....does it work?

I guess....I've been reading comics since I was 3, so I really can't say how a "newbie" would fare.

I CAN tell you that I loved this book!! I wish that the makers of the atrocious X-Men flick had filmed this for the mutant's initial big-screen outing.

Mark Millar and the Kubert Bros. story does a great job of getting you up to speed fast: People born with strange, potentially deadly, powers exist among us, and pose a very real threat to life as we know it. Two men, Professor Charles Xavier (Leader of The X-Men), and Magneto (Leader of The Brotherhood of Mutants), fight an idealogical battle to win the hearts and loyalty of their fellow Mutants. Xavier wants to help Mutantkind make peace with Humanity, while Magneto sees Humanity as an annoyance that must be disposed of, so Mutants can ascend to their rightful place. This take-no-prisoners approach doesn't sit well with president Dubya; he unleashes the giant robotic Sentinels on a search-and-destroy mission to annihilate all Mutants. The story follows the recruiting of The X-Men (Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm, The Beast, Iceman, Colossus, & Wolverine), and their first confrontation with Magneto. (And what a confrontation it is!)

Magneto has never been better written; he comes across as both charismatic and chilling...a super-powered cross between Charles Manson and Hannibal Lecter. He also does something VERY original with The Sentinals...very clever, Mr. Millar! Xavier is more cold-blooded than he is in the "real" Marvel continuity; I don't totally trust him.(Did he tamper with Scott's mind to make him defect....? Hmmmmm.)

If I loved it so much, why just a Four? I didn't care for the portrayal of Colossus: When we meet him, he's a soldier for the Russian Mafia, selling a stolen Nuclear weapon to an underling of Magneto. This troubling "Character flaw" is never mentioned again. That just bothered me a lot...I guess I hold my heroes up to high standards. I was also kinda weirded out by the way Jean just lept into bed with Wolverine, and the strong language peppered throughout the book. I'm no prude, but X-Men is an all-ages type of book, and the language just seemed unnecessary.

Overall, a great read- I'm gonna stick around for more.

Okay, I am definitely not a young adult anymore, but I do appreciate quality regardless of the age level it's aimed at, and I find graphic novels such as this one to be intelligent fiction with interesting themes.

Much of today's world is considering the possibility of mutants. There are such changes in our environment and also in the elements affecting new-borns through their parents that mutations don't seem impossible anymore.

Oh, certainly, the X--MEN are wildly exaggerated and beyond credibility as good comic book heroes should be, but there is nevertheless an underlying general theme.

As an older guy interested in the two X-MEN movies, this graphic novel helps give me an introduction. And for the younger adults not yet acquainted, this is an equally great introduction.

There are some people who will have problem with the way the X-men are portrayed, but it is interesting. I wish the movies were more like this book. This book presents the opportunity to take the team in an entirly unexspected direction.

Electronic Job Search Almanac 2000 edited by Thomas Blackett provides hundreds of online opportunities for locating jobs. This isn't just a collection of specific net addresses; it includes general job registers and data banks on companies with all the information needed to make a specific job hunt for an industry or an employer.

It really was. The whole idea of Professor X going mad clearly came from Bob Harras, not Lobdell, and if you're editor in cheif at the company you can do anything you want, even if it only succeeds in angering more readers then it actually attracts. Another story like this one, and there won't be a Marvel Universe anymore.

Well this chapter of the Onslaught war sees Spider-Man, the Punisher, and the good Green Goblin trying to save New York city from a fleet of Sentinels which Onslaught has send to control the city. But the heroes are badly choosen for the task here. Spidey can only do so much aganist the Sentinels, the Green Goblin is knocked out of action, and the Punisher has to rescue Shield agents from a downed heli-carrier. It would have been more intresting if Nick Fury and Dr. Strange had led the charge against the sentinels on the Front Line, but they were never used for this story and it's a shame.

I've just a few things to say of this book. Superb. It keeps the pace, but, nevertheless, it asounds me how much suspense you can go through with all that going on. 'WillNate & franklin get out?' or, simply 'How's it all going to end out?' or even 'Won't hate for mutants rise again?'. I consider this to be the best chapter of the 6, although, all are worth reading. In closing, I have to say, The watcher's presence add's a touch of finesse, and Apocolypse's statement brings me to believe that he'll have something up his sleeve, and could pop up anytime (but I have a feeling it will be in Cable between '99-2000).

A potentially interesting concept, but it was presented at too high a level. Perhaps it needed to be more comprehensive (providing practical guidelines). As it stands, I did not find it useful.

Adams and Neely take a complex business challenge -- measurement and provide a framework that is able to address the complexity and produce results. The linkages across process, capability, strategy and the like will drive successful organizations. Neely and Adams provide access to an approach to make this happen.

This book is there mainly to show westerners what sumo is really about. It goes through the rules and rankings of sumo wrestling and how the competition actually work. It has insights into sumo wrestlers lifes how they live, train and eat. The book helps to show what sumo is all about.