This International Security reader is a great collection of the recent work in the realist tradition in International Relations. Here you can read the "classic" authors (like Waltz and Walt) and the "new generation" (Schweller - excellent - and Zakaria). The introduction, written by the editors of the volume, is wonderful: it really "maps" realism and its authors. There is also two essays by John Mearsheimer, the "hardcore" realist and his gloomy "Back to the Future" article. Great book and certainly worth the money. This is the best book in the "International Security" readers series.

Those of us who are familiar with the Rosenthal et al. text recognize it for what it has been for many years: the standard text in the field of brain injury rehabilitation. This books continues to be the standard in the field of TBI rehabilitation, and is a must-read for any professional in any field of head injury assessment and rehabilitation.

For any serious user of Windows 95 and for the occasional user, this book is a must-have for your computer library. The title even says "The Most Complete Reference" and it is exactly that. It comes with a CD of useful programs and utlities. As a reference book, I think that Using Windows 95 is tops. It's easy to find what you are looking for and the topics are written so that the average user can understand. No technobabble! I highly recommend this book

The Whitney Biennial is the kind of exhibition that critics love to hate.My recommendation is to ignore thae critics, see it for yourself and buy the catalog. This is a great book for those who love contemporary art. The essays on the exhibition and on the individual artist are informative and well written. The plates are also great.

If for nothing but the Liaden books, i would praise Stephe Pagel and his Meisha Merlin press to the skies; but wait! -- there's more!

However, what we're here for is to talk about Liadens and Terrans and their interactions.

Indeed, there is a strong flavour of Georgette Heyer's Regency romances in most of the Liaedn Universe material -- a bit less so in "Agent of Change" and "Carpe Diem", which are a bit more action novels and less contemplative than "Conflict of Honors" or the two halves of the present book, both of which play out their conflicts primarily in the area of melant'i and interpersonal relationships.

The first, "Local Custom", makes clear, in a way that the references in "Conflict" didn't really, just what a shocking misalliance Er Thom yos'Galan made for himself, and what a scandal and problem not just for him but for his entire Clan it must be.

Luckily all is well and works out in the end, because Korval is going to *need* Shan and his sisters.

While "Local Custom" is, shall we say, Important, and quite enjoyable, i found it more of a light read and less Deeply Interesting than "Scout's Progress", the second half of the book.

One of Heyer's more useful plots is the one in which one or other or both of the main protagonists is unaware of the true identity of the other; this is the basic McGuffin that makes "Scout's Progress" go.

Aelliana Caylon is a *painfully* unworldly woman, eldest daughter of a Clan of second rank. If she were not able to contribute to the clan's coffers through her work as a mathematics instructor, she would be expected to contract repeated profitable contract marriages. ((This is even nastier than the situation in Heyer, wherein a young woman might well expect to be forced into a loveless marriage for her family's benefit -- but only once.))

Matters are, of course, made worse by the scheming of her elder brother, the nadelm.

Her brother, Ran Del Caylan, is a true villain. He is nasty because he *can* be. And hse has not get enough money f her own to flee him and also to be able to survive afterward.

But Things Change when Aelliana, fleeing Ran Del, falls in with some of the Scouts that she teaches Advanced Mathematics, and goes with them to a new, elaborate gambling house...

And she wins a ship.

Now all she needs is to learn how to fly it.

And that is where a former Scout she meets as he is working as a amintenance tech at the port facility where her new ship is berthed.

His name is Daav; she -- unworldly as she is -- never happens to discover his Clan or House.

Meanwhile, Daav yos'Phelium is being pushed into a contract marriage for the benefit of Korval which neither he nor the lady want or welcome.

The working-out of their relationship, and the flowering of Aelliana as she realises that she is *not* the useless incompetent that her brother has her more than half-convinced that she is -- and the hideous danger that comes upon her as a result -- make this my second-favourite Liaden story (after "A Conflict of Honors"). ((Also, it, like the first story in this volume, painlessly feeds us a few necessary Large Expository Lumps regarding how the overall Liaden system functions, Korval Clan history and just what pilot quals and training are like.))

((At least one other reviewer has remarked that they don't know what to recommend to the reader who finishes these stories and wants more, more or less similar, freading material, aside form the actual Regency Romances of Georgett Heyer - i might recommend the "Mageworlds" books of MacDonald & Doyle, the series begins with "The Price of the Stars"...))

In Pilot's Choice, we are treated to not just one, but two enchanting adventures set in the Liaden Universe. Newcomers to Liad needn't worry about coming into a series already in progress. Both stories take place in a time set prior to the events in Partners in Necessity and Plan B, and both are equally capable of standing completely on their own. Of course, once you've delved into the deft world building of Lee and Miller, you won't want the stories to end!

Long time fans will be delighted by this return visit, which is rich with back-story and subtext. Many questions and subtle hints which peppered the previous four books are answered in this omnibus. Plus, you just won't believe how adorable "toddling" Shan is. This is a must-read for any connoisseur of well-crafted stories, richly layered world building, and solid, spot-on characterization. Don't let the genre label fool you, Lee and Miller craft books that simply refuse to be pigeonholed. They're not just SF, or fantasy, or romance ... they're just good, old fashioned storytelling. Trust me, you won't be able to put them down.

The first of Lee & Miller's books that I read was "Conflict of Honors". After that, I haunted the bookstores until I had obtained "Agent of Change" and "Carpe Diem". Alas, no more books were forthcoming. Of all the hundreds of books I have collected over the years, these were the ones most frequently re-read. Now that the Liaden universe is again available, we can again enjoy the rich environment and thoroughly enjoyable characters that peaple these books. Pilot's Choice gives us two stories that give a real fleshing out of the series. When you consider that these were written without firm hope of publication, they are all the more remarkable. In my humble ( but emphatic ) opinion, these are the best of Lee & Miller's work to date. Considering that they were already at the top of my list, that is simply amazing.

This is the book to read for anesthesia resident to complete their training

We have got the textbook and we thought that the book our main anesthesiology resource.

Recently we have a case of cerebrospinal fluid-cutaneous fistula following spinal anesthesia used for indirect inguinal hernia repair. But we couldn't see any comment in the textbook about the management of cerebrospinal fluid fistula from inthratecal space to skin due to postdural puncture for purpose of spinal (intrathecal) anesthesia.

Cutaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula are known to occur rarely under spinal puncture during spinal anesthesia, and CSF leaks via that fistula. This complication is often self-limiting but sometimes needed some treatment procedures such as intravenous fluid restruction, patient prone position, strecth dressing of wound, epidural injection of autologous blood patche or fibrin glue, or uncommonly use of CSF drainage system.

We think that if this complication and its' management is included in new edition of the textbook it will be better.

With our regards,

Hakan Erbay, M.D. Assisstant Professor of Anesthesiology Pamukkale University, Medical Faculty Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Denizli, Turkey

Erkan Tomatir, M.D. Associated Professor of Anesthesiology Pamukkale University, Medical Faculty Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Denizli, Turkey

We have got the textbook and we thought that the book our main anesthesiology resource. Recently we have a case of cerebrospinal fluid-cutaneous fistula following spinal anesthesia used for indirect inguinal hernia repair. But we couldn't see any comment in the textbook about the management of cerebrospinal fluid fistula from inthratecal space to skin due to postdural puncture for purpose of spinal (intrathecal) anesthesia. Cutaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula are known to occur rarely under spinal puncture during spinal anesthesia, and CSF leaks via that fistula. This complication is often self-limiting but sometimes needed some treatment procedures such as intravenous fluid restruction, patient prone position, strecth dressing of wound, epidural injection of autologous blood patche or fibrin glue, or uncommonly use of CSF drainage system. We think that if this complication and its' management is included in new edition of the textbook it will be better.

With our regards,

Hakan Erbay, M.D. Assisstant Professor of Anesthesiology Pamukkale University, Medical Faculty Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Denizli, Turkey

Erkan Tomatir, M.D. Associated Professor of Anesthesiology Pamukkale University, Medical Faculty Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Denizli, Turkey

This book covers a lot of things you won't find in other drum books (Eg. head selection, overview of major drum brands, etc) and is a very useful resource for any drummer. The biggest problem is Mr. Miller's over-the-top plugging of DW drums as the "Mercedes of drums..." etc. In my opinion, hyping a brand isn't appropriate in a book, especially when I have a feeling the author is a paid endorser of such brand.

this book gives you some awesome info for reading if you are a beganning drummer, but the music in the book that the author provides is not. it's better to learn music with a professional teacher, then from a book. if you want some good reading for your beginning drummer then get this book it has everything from: buying your first set, cleaning your set, taking care of it, changing heads, it covers other parts of the percussion family besides drumset ect. get this today you won't be sorry.

The decision to actually pick up the sticks and sit behind your very own drum kit is a big step to say the least. What seems like an easy instrument to learn becomes one of the most complex and physically demanding instruments ever. But don't let this introduction mislead you, drums have become my life, and if you dedicate the time and get going you'll soon realize the same. Now when I first started there were a few things I was never without, my sticks, my snare drum and "The Complete Idiots Guide To: Playing Drums", yes this book was (and still is) that important to me.

Like I mentioned, the life of a drummer is a tough and often confusing one, but this book seems to sort everything out for you. Michael Miller's writing is not only extremely helpful but an entertaining read as well because he's always throwing in little jokes here and there. The guide itself is broken down very simple, with every chapter you learn more more such as what drums to buy, what sticks to look at, how to maintain and tune your kit, and all the key terms necessary for a successful drummer. In the later chapters you're slowly introduced to drum sheet music, all of the 26 percussion rudiments, and page after of drum tabs and sheet music. Also covered are the different drumming styles such as rock, jazz, blues and more. Miller always stresses (as do I) the importance of having a teacher, and how they can expand your understanding more than anything.

I only actually had one small problem with the book, well to tell you the truth it's more with the author himself. Miller refers to Drum Works drums as the "top of the line" and "the best you can get". Yes, Drum Works do make incredibly impressive drums, but to call them the best would be unfair, so for all those new drummers out there don't Mr. Miller's love afair with Drum Works confuse you, there are many companies out there who make drums just as good or even better than Drum Works. Overall however, this isn't a complaint about the book, but more of an observation so take it for what it's worth.

So, if you're seriously considering becoming a drummer make sure to have "The Complete Idiots Guide To: Playing Drums" by your side, it will help you like no other book can.

Since the publication of Michael Doyle's piece on Liberalism and Democracy in 1983, the debate over the democratic piece has been one of the most vigorous in the field of International Relations. This volume includes all the major works on the subject, including Doyle's original piece, as well as his latest thinking. Also included are John Owen's perceptual explanation of the democratic piece, and David Spiro's brilliant quantitative critique of it. For those looking to understand the debate, it is clearly the best body of work yet in print. The only drawback is that the debate seems to be tapped out; there is little new to contribute, and some feel enough has been said already and we need to move in directions.

In essense, this is a response to the prior review. I agree with everything but the last line which I will paraphrase: what has been said has been said about the democratic peace proposition and theorists need to move on. The last chapter of this book, contributed by Michael Doyle, outlines future paths that research of the DPT can continue, and considering that the U.S. government emphasizes the development of democracy in many of its foreign policy endeavers, sometimes with out success, it is imperative that more work be continued. This collaboration of essays provides an excellent starting point understand the debate, but further analysis is continuing. If you are intersted in the DPT, DO NOT END HERE!

This book is excellent. It is loaded with information on 30 Utah mountains. The description for each mountain includes hiking time (a range for both fast and slow hikers), distance, difficulty, starting elevation, elevation gain, USGS map, trialhead, Camping, tips and precautions, the hike, background, and where to find more information. The book also includes various pictures for each mountain and two maps including the mountian and how to get to the trialhead. The book is not only helpful as a guide but fun to read and enjoy the pictures. I have found it to be the best all-round guide to Utah mountains on the market.

If your goal is to 'bag' the highest peak in each of the counties listed, then this is THE book to use. While not as thorough as Kelsey's (and the authors admit that, because the goal is to make it simple) the information provided is more than sufficient. The photos don't really show the routes (like Roach's Colorado books) but do give the 'atmosphere' of the climb. I've done a few out of the book, and plan on doing the rest as time allows. I think it's a nifty idea, and would recommend it to anyone with any experience level at all in the mountains (and especially anyone who wishes to drive to the top and sit on the roof of the car to gain more altitude ;).

When ABC News assigned John Miller to the case of the Washington sniper, it should have signalled to one and all that someone at ABC believed there was an Arab terrorist angle to the case. Miller is an expert on that.
In "The Cell: Inside the 9/11 Plot, and Why the FBI and CIA Failed to Stop It" Miller (with Michael Stone and Chris Mitchell) details the way the U.S. intelligence system failed to note the signals, including Miller's own "interview" with Osama Bin Laden (OBL) in which he had to prepare written questions and was not allowed any follow-up questions.
The book starts with the strange case of Meir Kahane (disclaimer: we were friends in the late 1940s) who was gunned down in a room full of witnesses by El Sayyid Nosair, who, like his accomplices, wore a yarmulka.
The accomplices abandoned Nosair, who fled alone. On the way, he shot a Irv Franklin, a Kahane follower, and a postal inspector (a federal offense). The get-away was bungled. The red-headed giant of a taxi driver who was supposed to pick up Nosair for his get-away somehow got lost but Nosair made it to the hospital on his own for treatment of the wound from the postal inspector's bullet.
Open and shut case, no?
The homicide cops quickly caught the accomplices and raised their homes, seizing documents and other treasures that pointed to an OBL plot against New York City.
But the higher ups in the NYPD, the chief of detectives Joe Borelli in particular, called Homicide's Lt. Ed Norris to a meeting at headquarters and asked:
"Was this the work of one man?"
Norris said, "No."
Borelli ended that discussion with "You shut up. You do murders; they do conspiracies."
And so Norris's files on al Quaida sat unopened and unread from November 1990 until after Sept 11, 2001. Nosair was acquitted of first-degree murder. His co-conspirators were not prosecuted.
The whole book is full of such examples, including the erratic behavior of Mohammed Atta, which did not raise eyebrows, and the "practice run by four terrorists who tried to find out how much they could get away with on an airliner, including successful attempts to be allowed into the cockpit.
But "The Cell" is a maddening book. It drifts in and out of the voice of Miller, recounting his own experiences, using the first person voice. Sometimes this is set off by typographical devices; sometimes you suddenly encounter an "I" and wonder where the quotation began.
The book has all the earmarks of being rushed to press, with lots of editing errors. It also lacks an index and a guide to the reader on all the Arabic jaw-twister names scattered throughout the book.
The interview with OBL is full of accusations against Jews, whom OBL equates with America:
"The American imposes himself on everyone. Americans accuse our children in Palestine of being terrorists-those children, who have no weapons and have not yet reached maturity. At the same time, Americans defend a country, the state of the Jews, that has a policy to destroy the future of these children. . . .
"We are sure of our victory against the Americans and the Jews as promised by the Prophet. . . . "
But there is no hint in anything OBL is quoted as saying that it included a mad sniper in Washington.

After watching a John Miller interview on television, I felt compelled to read this book. I have done so twice. From the vivid, behind the scenes look at 9-11, to the chilling, first hand description of bin Laden, this book had me glued to its pages from the start. Miller's privvy information about the CIA and FBI as well as the details of the terror cells make for a shocking stroyline. The fact that this is a non fiction account makes the message Miller is sending even more chilling. Lets face it, America, we are war and our guard cannot be let down.

This book is a sad commentary on our government's ability and willingness to deal with terrorist threats prior to 9/11, if the sheer extent of the beaurocratic delays, indifference, and incompentence of the various agencies and authorities that the authors extensively document is even close to accurate. The authors show how the 1998 African embassy bombings could probably have been prevented, after the 1993 WTC bombing and the murder of a Rabbi in NY in 1990 were traced back to a series of early al Qaeda cells, among many other threads of evidence left behind that were not investigated and followed up on.

Even worse, amazingly, there was even an informant, Max, who knew by early 2001 that there was a hijacking plot afoot, but again, the warnings were ignored and nothing was done about it. The authors show how agents on the ground were continually frustrated by everything from beaurocratic infighting to a budget cut of the Anti-Terrorism monies. Well, all I can say is that a few million more for that budget would probably have been cheaper than the several billion the destruction of the World Trade Center and all the other damage to New York cost, not to mention the incalculable loss of life. After reading this book, one can only hope that the situation, post-9/11, is radically different and that this sort of inexcusable long-term neglect by government agencies will never happen again. "Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom." Jefferson's comment is all the more relevant today in our present circumstances.