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there were also a number of general tips on how to tell a good floor plan, signs of good construction, etc. these were good enough, even though some were just common sense.
what i _didn't_ find much of, though, was specific help on getting a good deal on a modular home. i was hoping for more shopping tips--e.g. expect this from the dealer, if you see that, beware, you should get this or that, here's what you need to do, etc.
if this is what you're looking for, you'll probably be disappointed.
i did learn things from the book, and it was a reasonable investment. just be aware of the info you're looking to get from it. if you're trying to decide about options or get advice about floor plans, etc., it's a great choice. if you, like me, have decided what you want and are just looking for the best way to get it, it's not the best choice.
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This story helps kids realize that Mr. Putter can come up with a good plan and can be kind of "naughty" in a good way.
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In terms of critiquing the story, I have to say that the last few chapters seemed somewhat rushed; the boys' actions, especially those of Jupiter Jones, seemed somewhat out of character, and the ultimate explanation of the mystery was not completely satisfactory to me. While Jupiter is not always right, of course, his deductive and reasoning skills were not too sharply honed in this book. Early on, once he has the skull and has heard it sneeze, he is supposedly too drowsy after supper to set his mind to figuring out how the skull talks--this does not sound like the Jupe I have come to know. Later on, he is actually "suckered" quite easily, much to my consternation and disbelief. Were it not for unexpected outside help, the boys would have bungled this whole case. In terms of the ending, the explanation of how the skull actually talked did not thrill me, and that is the primary reason I must give this book four stars rather than five. That explanation was a little contrived and unoriginal, I felt. Despite these faults, I did find several clues to be rather ingenious, and I experienced a few "Aha" moments of a quite satisfactory nature.
Sadly, as I write this review, this is the last Three Investigators book to have been recently reissued by Random House. The reissue of the first eleven books in the series (including all ten of Arthur's 3I books) is of great importance because this action not only reintroduced me to the friends and heroes of my youth but introduced the Three Investigators to a whole new generation of young people; these books have induced a love for reading in countless numbers of us all. I would implore Random House to continue reissuing these books until the complete 3I library is readily available to one and all--how these books ever went out of print is a mystery not even the great Jupiter Jones could solve. As for me, I have my own case to work on now, an undertaking that will not be completed until I have assembled a complete collection of the Three Investigators series.
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In the days following the lecture, my notes hasily taken in the dark were excitedly deciphered and shared with colleagues and friends. When this book, adapted from the lecture, appeared, I immediately bought copies for myself and as gifts. The book would have benefited from a preface, explaining the original purpose and audience, but it is a good read. Having been written before the recent attack on America, Mr. Miller's most important observation may be that "one of the basic conditions of [a president's] employment...[is] a willingness to kill for us." Many of those regarded as 'great Presidents' were war presidents. "As war leader, a president rises to the stature of tragic figure touched by the arcane, the superhuman, entrusted as he is with not only the lives of our sons and daughters but the purity of the ideals which justify their sacrifice."
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While Philosophy of Logical Atomism certainly does not cover his academic philosophy in depth, and it contains a number of points that he later amended (this is true of much of his academic philosophy), it is a good starting point for the Russell initiate as he can be a very difficult read in other academic texts.
The Theory of Descriptions and the Theory of Types are both presented here. The Theory of Descriptions in its "indefinite" and "definite" form (as opposed to its presence as only the Definite Theory of Descriptions in Principia Mathematica).
Anyone with a serious interest in analytical philosophy should be familiar with this material, and at the very least, the Philosophy of Logical Atomism will defintely tell you who wrote Waverly.
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Russell's descriptions of the motivations behind power seeking individuals and organizations, the appeal of leaders, types of power and the basis for authority are compelling. The means for acquiring and exercising power are described by Russell in a systematic, conspiratorial manner. By understanding its appeal and the methods by which it is attained, Russell argues, mankind can hope to tame power. I felt that in this book Russell sought to deliver a "world-view" a la Karl Marx, whose communist ideas were based on the belief that the source of conflict in the world was man's alienation. With a twist, Russell might say that man's (and man's organizations, which he grants develop an organic life of their own) grasping for power is the chief cause of pain, stifled freedom, and stunted progress.
It's important to keep in mind that this book was first published in 1938 - though it's not hard to do while reading since Russell continuously warns of an impending great war. He refers to WWI as the "War" and an imminent WWII as the "Great War." I think, perhaps, the great motivation for writing it may have been to explain the rise of despotic and totalitarian governments during the era preceding its publication. A defining quote is:
"No other organization rouses anything like the loyalty aroused by the national State. And the chief activity of the State is preparation for large-scale homicide. It is loyalty to this organization for death that causes men to endure the totalitarian State, and to risk the destruction of home and children and our whole civilization rather than submit to alien rule."
Russell is my favorite philosopher and I'm planning to read many more of his books. I strongly recommend his History of Western Philosophy and The Conquest of Happiness. Russell wrote so many books on such a wide variety of subjects. My qualms with Power are its over ambitious reach, the frenetic pace of the writing and Russell's disdain for business and economics. Enjoy!