...entropy is the idea that there is a growing disorder to all systems, living and otherwise. Roegen is the social philosopher who originally, successfully tied the no limit-growth of capitalism to our decreasing natural resources, our increasing endangered species lists, and our decreasing resistances to a bunch of ailments...

I remember having to study passages of this book in college and my instructor said that there's no scientific data to verify what he's saying had any merit. And, now, today, mosquitoes and terrorists and brown outs have everybody up in arms. I can't say Roegen is prophetic, but his argument, to me, always did make a whole lotta sense...and, you know, the artists and the poets seem to have always intuited the validity of this great man's message.

What has really put things in perspective for me is my further readings... I've read works from EF Schumacher ("Small is Beautiful"), Rene Dubos ("A God Within"), Jeremy Rifkin ("Entropy"), and more recently, Derrick Jensen. And they all seem to speak to needing a more humane way of capitalism which doesn't seem bent on destroying everything in it's path.

There are many other authors who may be easier to read than Roegen, but you will find, if you are in anyway interested in the fate of the world, they all refer to his seminal work here.

Georgescu-Roegen argues that neo-classical economics(the dominant
form of economics at this time) is not consistent with
fundamental physical laws. The law that NC economics is most in
conflict with is the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the entropy
law. NE Economics assumes that continuous economic growth is
both desirable and possible. According to Roegen any economy is
permanently physically limited by the supply of low-entropy
matter and energy as a source for raw materials and as a sink
for our wastes. The only possible long-term source for
low-entropy energy is the sun and even this is available at a limited rate of flow.

An attempt at steady-state economics (as espoused by Herman
Daley) would be a significant improvement over the present
situation, but would still not be possible in the very long
run because of limitations on the supply of low-entropy raw
materials such as metal ores.

Roegen's point of view is fundamentally in conflict with
current economics, but we ignore his arguments at our peril.
In the not terribly distant future we will run up against
the limits that Roegen warns of.

The book is dense and difficult, but the concepts are extremely
important...

More readable books on the subject are
"Beyond Growth" and "Steady-State Economics"
by Herman Daley.

Believe it or not, this is one of the funniest, most high-spirited books I've ever seen. Demanding, but brilliant and rewarding. Like the part about Marx leaving the enjoyment of life out of his equations of use. And arithmomorphism and identity. This is real.

kapelke deftly debunks the mysteries of several occupations we have always wondered about, but have been too afraid to ask. Once again, his esoteric and pointed sense of humor cover any "shortcomings". For all you aspiring Zamboni drivers, Kapelke and his intrepid gang's masterpiece will be your ticket to success!

Enjoyed the book. Especially like the part on the Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol because it features me!

Nice Job is a pleasure to read. We gave it as a graduation gift to a few of our friends.

The book is not just filled with "yucks" concerning these odd jobs; it goes further and specifically tells what skills are necessary to do the jobs. I found this aspect fascinating (along with the salaries).

The book is a quick read. We got a kick out of many of the stories.

Highly recommended.

I also am not a fan of mystery or suspence, but this book just drew my attention in. Read this book when you have time, because once you start you will not be able to put it down, have given it to many friends to borrow and read themselves, everyone loved it

If you like love and trust, but you also love treachery, then this is the book for you. In the beginning you understand how the character's lives are and what they're going through. Also understanding when your married and just finding out from a little diary that your husband was already married with a wife named Suzanne and a child named Nicholas. After you get done with the first part of the book, one day Suzanne tells her husband she's going to the store and was taking Nicholas. Then a few hours passes but they never come home. You have to read this book to find out what happened to them.

This book was so awesome. I am not a fan of mystery, but i decided to give the author a try. I could not put the book down. I luved how it switched from Katie to Suzanne. It was so beautifully written, it makes you want to laugh and cry. This is wonderful and a perfect high school level or older. It's worth buying! I wish there was a sequal because this was fantastic!

What if you had the power to control good and evil? What if this power came in three parts, and you only had one of those parts? Would you do anything you could to get the other two parts in order to control this power? And what would you do with this power, if you could obtain it?

Gordon Birdie, better known as Whine, and Anthony James broke into the home of Phillip Edwards Sr., one of Rochester's most prominent and powerful CEO's, searching for a mystical book. Both men were not normally thieves, nor had they ever done such a thing before, but getting the book was important and so they took the chance. The house was empty, or so they thought until Phillip Jr., the only son of the CEO, heard them. Upon hearing a noise in the basement, Phillip Jr. went to investigate. Carrying a gun he found Anthony and Whine robbing the safe. In the midst of the confrontation two men ended up dead, Anthony, and Phillip Jr. Whine ended up in jail, accused of burglary and murder.

Lynn Scannella, Attorney at Law, is assigned the case, when another attorney drops it. It is only a few weeks before trial and she has absolutely nothing to go on to defend her client. The only thing she can think of is to call her old friend, and private investigator, Nicholas Tartaglia to investigate and find out what happened, and why, in order to establish some kind of defense for her client.

Whine is giving Nick absolutely no help in finding anything that would help him beat the charges, even though he was not the one that killed either man. In fact Whine figures he is safer in prison than on the outside.

Nick follows up on some of the things that are already known, and soon finds out that there are three books, known as the Talisman involved. After searching for information about these books, what they represent and can do, as well as being warned to back off, which he refuses to do, Nick finds himself up to his neck in black magic, murder, and another world completely involved in the supernatural. A world that totally scares Nick to death.

THIRD RING is a very well written fast paced thriller with more than just a few twists and turns. It combines the occult with intrigue, mystery, murder, and even has a little romance thrown in.

Mr. Tomasso's characters are not only believable, and multi faceted, they are also intriguing. Some you will like, some you will hate, but all will grab your attention and pull you onto the next page.........and the page after that.

THIRD RING will have you questioning any prior thoughts you may have about the occult, or good versus evil. In fact if you had ever doubted there was a thing such as evil, THIRD RING may just dispel that doubt.

THIRD RING is a mix of mystery and the supernatural. A blend that Mr. Tomasso brings off in a smooth, fast paced manner. A manner that truly glides by the reader so smoothly and quickly that you won't even realize where the time has gone when you read the final words.

I definitely recommend everyone read this wonderfully crafted story. It will both entertain and intrigue you.

Mr. Tomasso is a talent we are all going to hear a lot more about, and what we will hear will be very good.

I do believe that after reading THIRD RING you will never look at the supernatural in the same way again. I know I won't. But I will definitely be looking for more out of Mr. Tomasso.

Private Investigator, Nicholas Tartaglia, is back . . .


Two men burglarize the home of the city's most prominent CEO, searching for a mystical book. What they don't know is, someone is home when they break in. In the flux of chaos, one of the burglars is dead . . . and so is the CEO's only son.


When Tartaglia receives a call from an old friend, he learns that she has just been assigned to represent the man accused of the burglary and murder. With time being of the essence, the defense attorney needs Tartaglia's help investigating the circumstances in order to establish a defense.


In a desperate search for answers, Tartaglia finds himself submerged in a raging river of deception, evil spells and witchcraft. It quickly becomes apparent that getting a man out of jail might be the least of Tartaglia's concerns as he uncovers an underworld consumed by the use of black magic . . . and a plot that scares the hell out of him.

Phillip Tomasso weaves a fantastic tale of supernatural proportions in THIRD RING. This book keeps you at the edge of your seat, makes you question what you really believe, and entertains, all at the same time. I enjoyed reading this novel because it had just the right amount of characterization to make me feel like I know Tartaglia (the protagonist) but not so much that it took away from the plot.

Mystery and supernatural fans alike will delight in this novel. If you're looking for something fresh, you've just found it.

This was the best book I have read on wills. It has info from birth to now and it was good from start to finish. It tells about his ups and downs of his life and it is just very well written. It is a really good book so buy it if you like prince william

All right if you are a Prince William fan pick this one up, especially if youlike to read some good information too. This isn't a book just full of pictures, it has a lot of information about him and some lovely and rare pictures too. I'm warning you chapter 5 is a real tear- jerker as another of the reviewers put it and she/ he is right, it is a tear-jerker. Have fun reading this book it is the best I have read so far, but another book by Nicholas Davies, not yet published, maybe just as good be sure to try it, it is called----"William: King for the 21st Century"

I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was refreshing to hear a story about a wonderful young prince.

Nicholas Christopher has done it again. He has created an intriguing tale, well drawn characters and a wonderful vacation from reality - all of which make for a fabulous, can't put it down kind of read.

This book follows Franklin Flyer, named after the train he was on that crashed when he was a newborn, from 1939 through to the later years in his life. From New York City to Europe and back. Each chapter is a year in Franklin's life and each year brings new and interesting characters and exploits.

The first chapter introduces you to Franklin and quickly sucks you in, giving you some enigmatic thoughts to keep in mind while reading the book. Christopher once again delves into the topics of fate, destiny and luck and manages to wrap up each and every question and plot line that he introduces Franklin and the reader to. While not as spellbinding as his previous novels, Veronica and A Trip to the Stars, Franklin Flyer is certainly worth reading and enjoying.

My husband and I both really enjoyed this book (i.e. it will appeal to both men and women). It's a nice change of pace from the same-old, same-old. Great characters and an episodic plot as incredible, quick-paced, and satisfying as the pulp comics that Franklin gets his start in. Good and evil are pretty black and white here, but Christopher's ultimate outlook on life seems as sunny as Franklin's yellow fedora.

The third novel from Nicholas Christopher, Franklin Flyer is another wonderful story of character and powerful ideas. There is such a sense of completeness to the book I'm thinking about starting all over again for a second shot of experience. Everything seems to be interconnected in our lives, everything and everyone matters on some level. Franklin Flyer (the person) has a wonderful sense of wanderlust and powerful ideas of invention. Franklin Flyer (the book) sets a tone of poetry and depth of character within the pre and World War II United States and Europe. There is mystery here. There is romance here, although it is less romantic than emotional. Franklin Flyer sits just this side of mystical, but remains well grounded and ultimately complete. Strongly recommended...

This is a good book with lots of good information. The book is great for persons without any knowledge of commercial real estate and is a good reference book for persons with experience in commercial real estate.

It is worth noting, however, that the much of the author's experience with investment real estate seemed to be during the 1970's decade. During that period of time there was hyper inflation in the real estate market. Often values and prices paid for real estate did not make much sense.

Some of the examples in the book refer to properties indicated to be worth several million dollars - and not exactly what you would call a small investment property.

However, the financial scenarios in this book are based on reasonably sound financial and economic theory. And the reasoning for the mathematical financial calculations seem to be fairly sound.

The book is a good buy for the price.<...

When I decided I wanted to learn more about commercial real estate investment, I bought a pile of books that claimed to be relevant and started working my way through them. This one was the ONLY one that I feel was really worth the read. It starts out by ascertaining whether the reader is truly ready to buy commercial real estate, taking a very prudent view of personal finances. It lays out everything worthwhile that any of the books on this subject lay out, and does so in a very readable manner. At the same time, it does not talk down to the reader or try to "dumb down" any of the material. I would suggest starting with only this book, and then buying other books (or talking to experts) in a more focussed manner, based upon what you find here. Incidentally, I haven't bought any commercial real estate yet, but I still intend to and I am trying to follow the advice of this book in preparing to do so.

This book was very simple to read, but jam packed with information. I not only enhanced my knowledge of real estate investing, but also got a refresher in economics. Masters discusses many tools and tips on the best way to get started and shares his experiences both good and bad. While he answered many questions that I had, he opened the doors to other questions I never thought of. I thought I was ready, but now I realize I still have some work to do.

The simple line drawings are accessilble to all. the innkeeper certainly didn't know what he was in for when he let Mary and Joseph use the stable. Despite the bright light and all the interruptions the innkeeper finally gets in the spirit of things. A short, sweet look at the joy everyone had at the birth of a special baby.

This charming story gives a realistic spin to how things really might have been out there in Bethlehem. It makes me laugh everytime I read it, and it makes a wonderful skit that our family loves to put on at Christmas time

I love this book. I bought three, two to give away and one to keep. I have it sitting on the coffee table. People pick it up, think it's a cute kid's book and read through it. I can always tell when they get to the end...there is a little sigh and a look of peace! It reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas. That our lives are hectic, just as the inn keepers night was, but he took time to celebrate the baby's birth!

The important point to be made about this book is that it is the first published work of Jay Quinn. I recommend that readers start with Quinn's mature, METES AND BONDS --the Lambda award winning novel-- and REBEL YELL anthology series,and then return to this first published work. Being the big fan, as I am, of Jay Quinn's books, I'm not overcritical when I say that this book is not quite "ripe"!! I just feel that most people will appreciate it more after they read the more finished books first. That way, you will better appreciate the dominating themes of his body of work. Why are Jay Quinn's books so important? Because Jay Quinn is not afraid to break taboos. That is #1. In the Lambda Book Report he talks openly about the roles of alcohol and in METES AND BOUNDS he writes about drugs affecting the lives of gay men. From Man-Boy love, to incest relations, he writes the truth. Jay Quinn is the most important new Southern writer today.

How great it would be if all young gay men just coming out could have an older person, a Mentor, help guide them through life's trials and experiences. It certainly would have helped me. Jay Quinn's personal narrative is such a honest, no holes-barred read, and so interesting. It must have been hard to put all this down for everyone to see. Through all his troubles with relationships, drugs, and depression, he manages to pull through. All with the help of his dedicated mentor, Joe Riddick.

By reading this book other gay men will relive their own similar experiences, and know that they are not alone. We are all here to experience what life has to offer us, and it would be great if the different generations could help guide each other. We should all be "Mentors." I highly recommend this book.

The process of acknowledging and accepting one's gay identity has never been easy-at any time, in any place-but it is frequently more difficult in the South, with its entrenched conservative familial, religious, and social strictures. THE MENTOR traces the path of one man, part-time surfer, part-time construction worker, full-time Southerner, as he recognizes, embraces, and ultimately balances the imperatives of his burgeoning gay identity with the values and demands of his Baptist upbringing on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It's a difficult journey, marked by false starts, dead ends, and disappointments, but ultimately illuminated by the joy of self-discovery and self-acceptance.The word mentor originates in the story of Odysseus, whose son, Telemachus, was counseled by an old family friend, Mentor, during his father's absence. Throughout his personal emotional/sexual odyssey, author Jay Quinn finds wisdom and comfort in his relationship with an older gay man, Joe Riddick. He also takes solace from an extended gay family, a common occurrence in gay life, when gay friends replace the blood kin who have rejected gay offspring or siblings.These concepts-an established gay man helping a younger one adjust to a sometimes troublesome sexual identity, a family of choice replacing a family of birth-are not unusual in the gay world. What makes Quinn's narrative remarkable is his willingness to reveal himself completely-to strip away the comfortable patina of political correctness to reveal his raw emotions, ravenous needs, and sometimes disquieting choices-while detailing his pursuit of the things most "straight" people take for granted: love, acceptance, affirmation. For me, the pivotal scene in the book takes place in the chapter "Hunters and Gatherers," when Quinn, now somewhat older and wiser, rejects the advances of a man in the parking lot of an all-night grocery store. He is obviously attracted to the man who sees him purely as sexual quarry-that much is clear by his description-but he has been down that road many times before and sees and understands it for what it frequently is: an erotic bonanza but an emotional dead end. And in that moment, he (and the reader) understands, viscerally and well as cerebrally, what it means to be a man, not a gay man, but a MAN, a human, a person of depth, character, complexity, and responsibility. That is Jay Quinn's personal homecoming, and it is one that many gay men will identify with and many more will yearn for. Quinn's writing is smart and sexy, earthy and erudite. He offers a window into his soul-and, if we are wise enough to see it, a mirror into our own.

As a musician (and the book may cause you to rethink what that word actually means), this book revealed many ideas which had been festering in my subconscious without my ever really taking the time to think them through fully. This is not so much a history or introduction to music as it is a presentation of both recent thought in musicology and a framework in which to conceive and comprehend music as a human process in general and its relation to all of culture. Naturally the last several pages focus on particular "gender-related" issues because that is the recent thought in musicology, but the book does a good job of not presenting this recent view as definitive and of placing this view within a large historical context of thinking about music. The entire book is sharp, well-written, and articulate. It touches on the must fundamental questions of musical meaning in all its forms, yet it requires virtually no formal knowledge of music or an acquaintance with any particular body of music, classic, popular, or otherwise. Of course, the author assumes a general knowledge (you have heard of Beethoven, the Beatles, and so on...) and of course the more you know of music, the more you will take away from the book, but nothing in particular is assumed. The author does a good job of explaining the working myths most people have about music, without technical jargon. For instance, what does it really mean to say, "I just heard 'Beethoven's 9th?'"? Is Beethoven's 9th the sound waves I heard, (whether live or recorded), or is it the body of all past performances of the symphony, or is it the jumble of symbols and notation which Beethoven wrote down 200 years ago? Why does popular music often lack such a specific reference to "musical works" such as "Beethoven's 9th"? Why is popular music freer to deviate from notation, as opposed to classical music, which always insists on "adherence to the composer's original score"? Why is "authorship" and "authenticity" valued in both classical and popular music, although in different ways? Does music exist independently of humans and express eternal truths and beauties, or is music inextricably bound up with culture, commerce, society, and the world? How are the three commonly used categories of "composition, performance, and criticism" related, and are the boundaries between them really so clear? How do notation and symbolism affect the way music is constructed and experienced? How do we give meaning to music? Why is it that the "purest" of "pure music", is often surrounded by the most commentary, criticism, and words, those things whose very absense are said to give it its very "purity"? Why does music matter to us? Why do we care? If these questions sound interesting to you, you will like this book.

This book is a little gem. All music students should read it.

This Very Short Introduction is notable as much for what it isn't as for what it is: it is not an introduction to any repertoire, Western classical or otherwise; it will not tell you about scales, chords, instruments, or sonata forms; it is not a buyer's guide or a "rough guide to..."; it is not a music appreciation textbook along the lines of (say) Copeland's "What to Listen for in Music." And this is a very good thing. Instead Cook presents a thought- and self-examination-provoking discussion of music as part of culture, daily life, and human experience. This extremely readable book is a valuable introduction to these issues that reach beyond the more familiar territories of the program note, album review, or newspaper diatribe about the corrupting influence of popular music.