George Box is one of the statistical giants of the 20th Century. He started his career in chemical engineering in England where he learned the importance of experimental design and statistical methods. He came to the US in 1953 and spent time at North Carolina State College and later came back to be part of the statistics group at Princeton. After that he founded the Department fo Statistics at the University of Wisconsin. This history and other important career decisions icluding the founding of Technometrics are detailed in the brief section "My Professional Life" that he wrote for this volume.

Box's contributions to statistics are diverse and large. He developed many practical statistical designs including the central composite design. He is responsible for evolutionary operation and wrote a book on it with Norman Draper. He has also made major contributions to response surface methodology.

With Gwilym Jenkins he systematized the application of the ARIMA models and led the development of software for easy application of these model building techniques. He championed the concept of parsimonious models and insisted that model building should be an iterative and continually evolving technique. He contributed to the area of control through his stochastic time series models and found ways to incorporate it in manufacturing process control.

With David Cox he developed the Box-Cox family of transformations. These simple power transformation can be used to make the data have an approximate normal shape. he gave a prescription for how to estimate or pick the power to use based on the data.

These enormous contributions can be found in the volumes of collected works that Tiao and others have edited. His contributions can also be seen from his books on evolutionary operation, time series analysis, automated process control, empirical model building and response surfaces, and practical experimental designs ("Statistics for Experimenters").

However in the decades of the 80s and 90s from age 60 to 80, instead of retiring, George Box took on the challenge of developing a center for quality and productivity at the University of Wisconsin. This volme, edited by Tiao, Bisgaard, Hill, Pena and Stigler provides a collection of articles by Box. These are mostly articles written in the 1990s covering the subjects of A) continuous process improvement, B) designing experiments to gain quality information, C) sequential investigation and discovery (including response surface methods), D) quality control and E) learning how to identify and reduce variation or be less sensitive to it by constructing robust processes (i.e. processes not sensitive to minor changes in process parameters). The articles are mostly directed toward quality issues and are mostly articles that were published in the 1990s or 2000 with a few from the 80s. Some are important technical contributions but many are also very philosophical.

George Box is one of the great thinkers of the 20th century and his philosophy on statistics and scientific inference is as important as his many technical contributions. There are 46 articles in total 4 on topic A, 12 on B, 10 on C, 11 on D and 9 on E. Each topic area has a brief introduction identifying a unifying theme in the papers in that section.

Box has a terrific sense of humor that often comes out in his lectures and sometimes in his writings. One gets a good appreciation of it by reading the three songs on statistics that are included in Part F of the book. This is only a sample of several that he has written that are parodies of familiar tunes. Of these three my favorite is "There's no theorem like Bayes theorem" to the tune of "There's no business like show business."

There is a nice bibliography in the back of the book that is followed by a biography on Box and a list of his books and articles published between 1982 and 1999. This includes 3 books and 91 articles! Believe it or not he published even more in his earlier years.

A very entertaining story, and definitely welcome in an era where political duplicity and partisan policies ignore the prospect of everyone getting along. We all could learn a lot from this story!

I am SSG Eric Bitzer I was there during this battle I was the Point Man for Bco 1/327inf when we hit the opfor the problem is not army doctrine but was in a decision that was made by the company commander of Bco 1/327 inf to stay on the objective after taking it instead of moving off the objective that all light units do. If we would have moved off the objective this battle would have been a total success. Remember that this book is from a Battialion commanders veiw not from a soldier that fought the battle Col. Bolger makes some great points and was also a great commander but the fault is not his it was with one of his company commanders.

The Battle for Hunger Hill is a great book to read; a real must for small unit light infantry unit commanders who must prepare for war in the modern era. I commanded a rifle company in the 1-327th Infantry Regiment long before Dan Bolger and it's reassuring to read some of the ideas that I thought of being used in training with the regiment. Bogler reminds combat unit leaders that they must not just be tough, but they must also be smart in order to suceed in modern light infantry combat. These new leaders must be able to adapt, overcome and improvise (to paraphrase Clint Eastwood in "Heartbreak Ridge") and Bogler epitomize this new, tough and thoughtful leader who first learns then applies the harsh lessons learned after his first and unsuccessful tour of the JRTC. The end result is success not just in his next trip to the JRTC, but in the real world of modern combat missions, like Haiti, where American soldiers are sent to keep or make peace. I wish that I had the opportunity to serve with Bogler rather the leaders whom I did serve.

If Col. Bolger is a member of the US Army's brain trust, we're in pretty good shape. As an officer in a Light Infantry battalion, I have taken the Colonel's lessons to heart, and those lessons have enhanced my knowledge of Low Intensity Conflict. All officers assigned to light units, no matter their branch of assignment, should read his books, Hunger Hill especially.

Anybody who still thinks fairy tales are mere bedtime stories for kids has to check out Amanda Craig's new In a Dark Wood, which uses their mythic, roadmap qualities to illuminate a life and in the process create a fascinating, intelligent, page-turner of a novel. Grounded in a fictional fairy tale created by the protagonist's author-illustrator mother, In a Dark Wood takes off, in a smartly multi-layered way, into explorations of family history, failure, loss, survival and breakdown. Amazingly Craig (whose work is finally crossing the ocean from England to North America, thank heavens,) manages this with a miraculous dark wit - a kind of authorial magic flashing through her dark wood.

IN A DARK WOOD is unlike any other book I've read - and I loved it! Topics include England, America, divorce, fairy tales, and skeletons in the family closet.

A man nearing 40 is getting a divorce from his wife and has to re-evaluate his life. He discovers a dark fairy tale book written by his mother, who killed herself when he was 6, and he has very little recollection of her. Tracking down his mother's friends and reading the stories help him learn about his past, his family and himself.

The writing style is very smart. The dark fairy stories within the book are killer and they neatly parallel what happened in the mother's past as well as the protagonist's present. The story starts off right in the middle of his moving out of his house, and then continues on a steady pace, building and spiraling until the end.

This book was right up my alley. I look forward to reading more works by Amanda Craig.

This is a mesmeric, haunting novel, and for those of you who are fooled into thinking this is primarily about mental illness...Think and READ again. You have fallen into a sort of trap set by this extremely subtle, almost wily, author. Yes, mental illness is one thematic level on which one can read this, in so many ways, disturbing and original book.-"And when the ink begins to write/ It makes the paper black and white."-The poem from Benedick's visionary mother pops up at beginning and end of the narrative. Why?

Read aright, the story of Benedick's quest interlarded with his mother's dark tales WILL keep you up at night. To come to the conclusion that all she and Benedick need or needed is/was some psychotropic drug like Lithium is to say the same of, say, Shelley or Van Gogh. If you think the ending, at first glance, is simplistic, you're right. But if you think that it undermines the the otherwise terror and fairy tale ridden narrative, then you're reading it on the level which most adults read fairy tales: That is, you're not reading it.

For the ending is the most terrifying part of the book: a fairy tale full of fairy tales that tell us more about ourselves than we like to think. Why is the ending so almost hostilely, one might say, simplistic? Again, ask yourself, what's the line with which fairy tales, including the dark fairy tales of Benedick's mother, end? Then reread the book, as I did...if you dare!

If you are looking for an in-depth textbook on ELECTROMAGNETICS, then choose the 4th edition of this text. That book made me say, "Show me a better textbook if you can."

Not this one. This book, after giving you a brief introduction to electric and magnetic fields, goes to the applications of electromagnetics - transmission lines, waveguides etc. If these things interest you, choose this edition.

Otherwise, I recommend the 4th edition because it is simply the BIBLE of Electromagnetics.

I consider this book to be one of the best books about E&M I've ever seen... it's quite technical but not cumbersome at all! Actually, I think it makes quite a pleasant reading! I've read other books on E&M and electrodynamics and I consider this book to be a very good intro to engineering electromagnetics. However, if you want a more theoretical insight, I recommend that you choose a good book on electrodynamics. This book is definitely worth buying!!

Electromagnetism is a hard subject for many people, including myself. The best approach is to get a few good books on the subject rather than rely on one book. After doing a survey, I finally bought the following books suitable for my level: (i) Introductory Electromagnetics by Popovic and Popovic; (ii) Field and Wave Electromagnetics by Cheng; (iii) Electromagnetics with Applications by Kraus; (iv) Schaums Outline of Electromagnetics by Edminister. I give five stars to all these books. (There is another book which I will not review or identify, because it turned out to be unsatisfactory.)

I am reviewing these four books in one go because they are interrelated. Each of these book is strong in its own unique area.

Introductory Electromagnetics by Popovic and Popovic is the best of these book for gaining an intuitive understanding of the difficult subject of electromagnetism. Its clarity and elegance reminds me of Feynman's Lectures in Physics. Every chapter is a work of inspiration. The carefully chosen examples are designed to impart understanding of electromagnetic principles rather than calculation skills. The book is excellent for those who are new to the subject. It is also excellent for those who have already learned some electromagnetics, but who feel that their understanding is still shaky.

Field and Wave Electromagnetics by Cheng is the best of these books in terms of the mathematical development of electromagnetics. Although this approach may seem difficult at first glance, ironically the mathematical rigour makes the subject much easier to grasp. That is because mathematical precision goes a long way towards illuminating subtle principles of electromagnetism. As a result, this book, more so than any other book, has given me the confidence to handle the difficult subject of electromagnetism.

Electromagnetics With Application by Kraus is the least systematic of these books, with some of the discussions being disjoint and abrupt. It is, however, valuable for its interesting and practical examples. It is a must-have book for anyone who is serious about electromagnetism.

Schaums Outline of Electromagnetics, by Edminister, is an outstanding collection of problems and solutions, as well as summaries. It mirrors the excellence of Edminister's other Schaums Outline, namely, Electric Circuits.

In summary, these four books have different strengths, respectively the following: (i) intuitive development; (ii) systematic development; (iii) practical application; and (iv) problem solving. These books form an awesome quartet, covering all the bases, and will provide you with a good foundation for advanced studies. A useful supplement for these books is Schaums Mathematical Handbook of Formulas and Tables.

As a huge King Of The Hill fan, I eagerly purchased this book. I though it was fairly boring, and only a few pages had me laughing, and just a few more made me smile.

I loved this book! I'm almost 23, but I'm definitely giving it to dad this June. It's about 120 pages of pure Hank-mania. Hats off to the author!

This book was funny as they come. They really hit the nail on the head when they created this Hank Hill character. It blends in perfectly with the show - which I watch religiously - and was so good I shared it with my own father. He had a bigger laugh than I did.

This is collection of short stories that offers a wide mix of speculative genres. Fantasy, SF, horror, and just plain weird. The stories run the gambit and most are good. "Jeo Defined" and "Moon Warrior" were excellent stories and well worth purchasing the book. Even just the so-so stories were enjoyable and all the authors are names to keep a look out for. In the end, this is a book of up and coming writers and a few of them will no doubt be big names someday.

I didn't know what to expect from this collection of short stories but I was happily surprised. The stories cover a wide range from fantasy, science fiction, and horror to those hard to classify strange stories. Each one is worth reading. My favorites were the one about a radio personality who was singing the Siren's song and the one about a criminal who is forced to undergo "augmentation" to control him. Some wild stuff for a great read.

Steinhoff and Burgess's 6th edition is a good book but not inclusive compared with Pickle and Abrahammson. Also, there are some concepts and points that seem to be inconsistent with specific texts in other fields. For example, while there are 4 Ps in marketing, Steinhoff has a fifth. There are lots of discussion questions and good cases. However, the answers to some of the end-of-chapter review/discussion questions can't be found in the text. The section on risk management does not get into the four major ways of dealing with it, as per Boone and Kurtz, "Contemporary Business." Steinhoff and Burgess have a text that students like but it is too short and skimpy. Again, the cases don't have enough information and the students have to make too many assumptions in many instances. For an upper-level course, it isn't in the same "league" as Pickle. I am using Boone & Kurtz's "Contemporary Business," '94-95 as a supplement.

I am a nurse practitioner in solo practice. The book, "Small Business Management Fundamentals" calls me back again and again to those things which stimulate and sustain growth. Though I am in the "inelastic" business of health care, the conceptual precepts of Burgess and Steinhoff's books have helped me immensely.

This straightforward guide to establishing, manageing and owning a small business has been thoroughly updated and revised while preserving the readability and practical flavour past editions.

What Ed Hommer accomplished was monumental, until you put in perspective that he was putting himself first... sacrificing his relationship with his children to climb. I met Ed only one time. I did not know him personally. I do know his children and ex-wife. It is a shame that he didn't "fix" himself sooner. While he was off climbing mountains, his children endured months at a time of only support (financially and emotionally) from one parent, their mother. It is sad that Ed died before he could fix those relationships! His children are wonderful people. It is sad that they will not have the opportunity to develop that relationship with their dad. I get angry at him (Ed) for what he put them through. I feel that he was selfish in his endeavors. He is viewed as a great man by many people. I don't see him that way. What he put his family through, specifically his children, overshadows his personal accomplishments.

I'm glad Ed Hommer got the chance to write his inspirational story before his untimely death on Mt. Rainier September 23rd of this year. In spite of the fact that Ed had a co-writer, his own voice rings very clear in this book. There is something very appealing in his modesty, sometimes almost a childlike idealism, and his wrenching appraisals/reappraisals of himself.

Ed grew up in modest circumstances, somewhat of an outsider with not much enthusiasm for school. Early on, he developed a fascination for all things Alaska, seeing it as a Last Frontier and he hung on to his dream. His next goal was to become a pilot, and I was impressed with the adversity he overcame to reach his goal. He had no money, only a high school education and ended up being a pilot for American Airlines.

He finally made it to Alaska, a land he loved forever, and thought he had the world by the tail with a part time job as a bush pilot, his hippie chick girlfriend--the beauteous Sandy, and a baby on the way when disaster struck. He took three passengers (one being his brother-in-law) on a sight seeing jaunt and crashed high up on Mt. McKinley. Two (including the brother-in-law) were injured fatally, but Ed and another passenger were not hurt too badly initially. Then a storm front set in, and would-be rescuers could not reach them for five days. Ed's recounting of these hellish five days is harrowing. The weather was fierce, and by the time the rescuers got there, the two living victims were frostbitten badly. Ed lost both feet above the ankle.

He very honestly admits he was in a tailspin for a long time. He was besieged by legalities he didn't understand, he had a terrible time with the Veteran's Administration who was underwriting most of his massive medical bills including a 3-1/2 month stay in the hospital, physical therapy, and prosthetic devices. He withdrew from life, became apathetic, drank his breakfast, lunch and then some. His marriage suffered irreparable harm. Part of his problem was the miserable time he had with his prosthesis.

Once he attached himself to a goal, he was seemingly unstoppable. He made up his mind he would fly again; he not only achieved the goal, he went back to work. Then he decided he wouldn't get closure until he had successfully summitted Mt. McKinley despite his artificial feet and lower legs. He did it in two tries. Though Ed Hommer didn't care about material goals, he set his sights high and was a miracle of achievement.

I feel that the review by Wisconsin was inaccurate, and only looked at one side of the story. It is true and sad that Ed lost his marriage and his relationship suffered with his children due to his climbing accident. However, I knew Ed and know his children personally. I saw many wonderful, loved filled encounters with his children. Although Ed loved the mountains, his children were the number one thing in his life.

The book did pretty good job of portraying the events of Ed's life. However, what did not come through in the book was Ed's complete love of life, family and friendships. When you spoke with Ed, you were captivated. When he left you, he left you feeling you could climb Mount Everest. It is this type of enthusiasm that touched millions of people around the globe. It is this type of enthusiasm that has fitted other amputees with prosthetic devices, allowing them to live a productive, preamputation state. It is this type of enthusiasm that keeps his foundation, High Exposure, alive...when he is not. It is this type of enthusiasm that makes me extremely proud to call him a friend.

The Hill is a book, nothing more. A short reference of a much larger story. The book captures only a snipit of the man Ed Hommer was, and still is in many hearts. I encourage all readers to take what they can from this book, and not be jaded by personal disparagements.

I am a long-time reader of Georgette Heyer and, unfortunately, this is one of her few books that completely failed to draw me in. Perhaps it was because I was expecting a Regency and ended up with a mystery novel, but the book failed to evoke my interest, much less, perhaps, than some of her other mysteries, and I never managed to finish it. Some people will like the idea of a Regency/mystery, but I prefer them separated- it's something to keep in mind before purchasing this book.

I am an unabashed "Heyer" fan and own almost everything she has ever written but I believe that this is one of her best as far as humor and wit are concerned. These "characters" all grab your heart, make you both laugh and cry ... sometimes all at once! One of my favorites that I have read and re-read many times over. Enjoy!

Georgette Heyer is noted as a writer of Regency romances (she established the genre) and of murder mysteries. In this book she integrates the two into a seamless whole, producing an mystery that is inseparable from a romance (and which is set during the Regency). This sounds an unlikely juxtaposition, but Heyer pulls it off without a jarring note.

Captain John Staple, at a loose end now that the war against Napoleon is over, stumbles across an anomaly: an unattended tollgate. He takes shelter for the night, and in the morning finds a reason to stay in the area: Miss Stornaway. The two turn out connected, which is not to the Captain's liking, and he finds it necessary to disentangle them before he can let justice take its course.