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Book reviews for "Horchler,_Richard_Thomas" sorted by average review score:

Are We Spiritual Machines?: Ray Kurzweil vs. the Critics of Strong A.I.
Published in Paperback by Discovery Institute (2002)
Authors: Jay W. Richards, George F. Gilder, Ray Kurzweil, Thomas Ray, John Searle, William Dembski, and Michael Denton
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I love a good skirmish
I enjoy reading Kurzweil because he's an adventurous thinker. This book is particularly fun because some other fine minds take him to task. Ray holds up well because he's a reasonable thinker. Although some of his predicitions seem outlandish, they may not be. You can't read this book without engaging in a lot of interesting visualization about the future. Some of it is frightening, but there is hope as well. Will the future runaway on it's own or will we be in charge? I don't know, but I'm sure thinking about it, now.

Strong A.I. Versus Pessimism
This is Ray Kurzweil's third book concerning the future of reductionist artificial intelligence design and it's possible effects on us in the decades yet to come. In THE AGE OF SPIRITUAL MACHINES, Kurzweil's previous book, which I enjoyed also, and this volume, he uses technological trends, including Moore's law and other tools, to show that a desktop computer will have achieved human level computational ability around the year 2020. Also, Kurzweil envisions that we will be able, sometime in the next few decades, to scan human brains and download that 'software' into these advanced computers to give them human level reasoning abilities, with the speed of computer neural nets, leaving humans behind, so to speak. Accordingly, it may also be possible to scan individual brains and load that information into an advanced computer (attached to a body of some kind), giving that person a sort of immortality. This is the gist of Kurzweil's argument, I hope I got it essentially correct.

What Kuzweil means by computers someday becoming 'spiritual' is that they may become conscious, and 'strong A.I.' is the view that "any computational process sufficiently capable of altering or organizing itself can produce consciousness." The first part of this book is an introduction to all of the above views by Kurzweil, followed by criticisms by four authors, followed in turn by Kurzweil as he refutes these criticisms.

Personally, I found most of the views expounded by the critics here to be either non-sensical, or 'beside the point'. One critic says that the life support functions of the brain cannot be separated from it's information processing function. Of course it can be, even the effects of hormones can be programmed into a downloaded brain, as well as other chemicals used by brains. Another critic states that possibly evolution is in error, and yet another criticism is that our machines will not be able to contact a divine entity and would thus be inferior.... give me a break, well...perhaps this is all true and maybe pigs will one day fly over the moon unassisted. I could go on and on, but this is the job of Ray Kurzweil and he defends himself admirably in the final chapters of this volume. Kurzweil does mention in this book that brain scanning machines are improving their resolution with each new generation, and eventually will reach a point where they should be able to image individual neurons and synapses in large areas, and allow the brain 'software' to be transferred to a suitable non-biological computing medium, my only criticism of Kurzweil here is that I think he should discuss this technology more, and where it is headed, his next book would be a great place for this.

One final point, it seems to me that when a new idea appears to be difficult and complicated to achieve, the pessimist says: "This is difficult and complicated, and may not work", whereas the optimist says: "This is difficult and complicated, but may work". Only time will tell for sure.

Excellent introduction to an ongoing debate
The work, inventions, and opinions of Ray Kurzweil in the field of artificial intelligence have captured media attention and the attention of philosophers and researchers in artificial intelligence. But not only is Kurzweil one of the most brilliant and controversial of all the individuals working in artificial intelligence, he is also the most optimistic. This optimism holds not only for the future technology of artificial intelligence, predicted by Kurzweil to give independent thinking machines in the next three decades, but also for its social impact. Kurzweil believes that artificial intelligence will work for the benefit of humankind, but that this benefit will depend to a great degree on his belief that humans will take on technology that will effectively make them cybernetic.

The controversy behind Kurzweil stems from his recent book "The Age of Spirtual Machines", which is a detailed accounting of his predictions and beliefs regarding artificial intelligence. Many individuals objected to his visions and predictions, and he answers a few of them in this book. In particular, he attempts to counter the arguments against him by the philosopher John Searle, the molecular biologist Michael Denton, the philosopher William A. Dembski, and zoologist Thomas Ray. With only a few minor exceptions, Kurzweil is successful in his refutation of their assertions.

But even if Kurzweil completely refutes the arguments of these individuals, and possibly many more against him, the countering of arguments will not by itself solve the problems in artificial intelligence research. The fact remains that much work still needs to be done before we are priveleged to see the rise of intelligent machines. Kurzweil is well-aware of this, for he acknowledges this many times in this book. He points to reverse engineering of the human brain as one of the most promising strategies to bring in the robotic presence. The success or failure of this strategy will take the mind-body problem out of purely academic circles and bring it to the forefront of practical research in artificial intelligence. The 21st century will thus see the rise of the "industrial philosopher", who works in the laboratory beside the programmers, cognitive scientists, robot engineers, and neurologists.

Each reader of this book will of course have their own opinions on Kurzweil's degree of success in countering the arguments of Searle, Denton, Dembski, and Ray. But one thing is very clear: Kurzweil is no arm-chair philosopher engaging in purely academic debates on the mind-body problem. He is right in the thick of the research and development of artificial intelligence, and if the future turns out as he predicts, he will certainly be one of the individuals contributing to it. He and many others currently working in artificial intelligence are responsible for major advances in this field in just the last few years. Their ingenuity and discipline is admirable in a field that has experienced a roller coaster ride of confidence and disappointment in the preceding decades. All of these individuals have proved themselves to be superb thinking machines.


Chicken Tommy & Other Stories: A Kind of History of Humboldt Twp., Illinois
Published in Paperback by Mayhaven Pub (01 February, 1994)
Author: Richard L. Thomas
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Chicken Tommy and other stories
Each time I reread this book it takes me home. I grew up in the 50's,60's in Humboldt Il. Mr Thomas deserves a big plus for bringing out the closeness of people in a small town. I knew and loved many of the people he wrote about in this book. If I could locate Mr Thomas I would invite him to walk the streets of Humboldt with me. We could relive the best days of our lives.

Small town dreams and people that matter are never lost.
This book transports you to a time and place where people passed their days doing the big and small things that weave a time and place in history that should not be forgotten. It is a wonderful book that talks about Humboldt, Illinois and individuals living there during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This is a story of German immigrants and their descendents as well as others, making a living by farming or whatever else that would make a living. It is a treasure of everyday life on a farm or small town in the midwest. For those who lived in Humboldt, it evokes powerful sensations, memories of a time that was........ Even those who have not lived in Humboldt will appreciate the way Mr. Thomas has ensured that those unique individuals in his book will never be forgotten.

This was my hometown.
I was raised in Humboldt and this book brought to me many hours of history and memories. This is a very laid-back farm community with a real midwest lifestyle.


Chinese Herbal Medicine Made Easy: Effective and Natural Remedies for Common Illnesses
Published in Paperback by Hunter House (15 February, 2001)
Author: Thomas Richard Joiner
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very useful
Being a retired boxer/kickboxer and now in my 40's, I was looking for ways of keeping fit internally and seeking relief from the numerous aches and pains aquired while participating in extreame sports for so many years. This book not only provides many remedies for sports injuries, but for ailments of all kinds. I especially like the way he translates the chinese herbs into botanical language as many of the herbs can be found in our own health food stores.
The only slight complaint is that he doesn't say much about our own american ginseng as it is highly valued by the chinese.
Otherwise I find it to be highly informative for both the novice and advanced student of the ways of herbal healing.
Deep bow.

well written, good info.
this was a really good book. It gave herbal remedies for illnesses, and also gave the symptoms for those illnesses. This book acted as two books; it gave info on illnesses, AND the herbal formulas to correct those illnesses. my only problem with this book is that in the index, it gives an illness, and then says: see so and so. This is good, but then it gives you a page number. You turn to that page, and there is no info on the illness there, except a little thing saying, illness-see another illness. while this is a little annoying, you have to put up with it, because this book is worth it. Great job!

Good guide for herbs, and good information about illnesses.
Hey! This was a great book. Not only because it gives lots of chinese herbal cures to the ilnesses talked about in it, but because it gives symptoms for all those diseases. This book was a relly good guide to staying aware of health. I had never even considered Chinese herbs as effective medicine before i red this book, but now i know better. good job Richard.

this book is great and should be read by all who want an alternative to Western Medicine!


Conglomerates and the Media
Published in Hardcover by New Press (1997)
Authors: Patricia Aufderheide, Erik Barnouw, Richard M. Cohen, Thomas Frank, Todd Gitlin, David Lieberman, Mark Crispin Miller, Gene Roberts, and Thomas Schatz
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How To Create A Media Conglomerate From Scratch!
Many have watched with dismay as conglomerates have gobbled up an increasing number of media companies. This collaborative effort between the New Press and New York University's (NYU) Departments of Culture and Communications, Education, and Journalism addresses that concern. Experts ranging from practitioners to academics were invited to participate in a lecture series hosted by NYU in 1996. Edited versions of their talks appear in this volume. An introduction by media scholar Todd Gitlin is followed by nine individually authored chapters covering media activities from radio and television to newspapers and book publishing. Surveying changes in telecommunications, Aufderheide (communication, American Univ.) calls for public vigilance and a middle ground between the apocalyptic doomsayers and those who believe the new age of communication has dawned. This book will be of value to media scholars as well as to citizens following this issue.

How To Create A Media Conglomerate From Scratch

This book is quite insightful, especially for a Southeast Asian media professional like myself. I recommend this book to everyone, even to those who work in the upper regions of the power sturcture of the media conglomerates critiqued in the collection.

For starters, it is a wonderful overview of how the media economy is shifting all over the world. The US market is saturated, as the book said, and the rest of the world is ripe for picking, especially my country, the Philippines.

This book is a tool to launch our own media analysis of what's happenning in our own countries. And from an analysis, we launch a critique, and from a critique, we launch steps to face the situation.

This book, published by New Media, is invaluable. I first read about it in an issue of Utne Reader. I took down the title and hunted it down in Amazon. I found it, bought it, and consumed it. I loved it because it gave me useful insights to work with.

This is a book I will dog-ear in my attempts to understand what to do in my field, and how to start my own media conglomerate from scratch. I already have my ideas, which I hope aren't just soundbites in my head.

Essays providing insight into a growing area of concern.
It is difficult to read Conglomerates and not be alarmed at the growing media control by a few major companies. The book begins with an insightful introduction by noted scholar Todd Gitlin and includes essays from Mark Crispin Miller (Johns Hopkins scholar and author of Boxed In) and David Leiberman (USA Today), among other prominent writers. One discrepency occurs with Lieberman's piece: it is listed in the table of contents as "Conglomerates, News, and Children", but in the chapter it is referred to as "Conglomerates, News, and the Media," leaving the reader to decide the correct version. This book is a must have if you want to gain an understanding of what's happening with media monopolies; Bagdikian fans rejoice! However, it is not chalk full o' references, so students looking for cites to follow may be disappointed. In the introduction, Gitlin echos an earlier statement by Niel Postman (author of Amusing Ourselves to Death): "Big Brother isn't looming, Brave New World is."


The Great Chicago Fire and the Myth of Mrs. O'Leary's Cow
Published in Hardcover by McFarland & Company (09 October, 2002)
Authors: Richard F. Bales and Thomas F. Schwartz
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Superbly detailed, tightly argued, and convincing
This work is simply superb! It is exhaustively researched, well-organized, tightly argued, beautifully illustrated, and entirely convincing. It covers virtually every feature of the fire, the resulting botched investigation, and the era's social contexts. An outstanding model of research, analysis, and writing.

Finally some justice for the cow!
Very detailed and informative book about "The rest of the story." The author not only offers his version of the facts of the case, but also gives one an understanding of the politics and social mood of the period in which the fire took place. The photographs and drawings are terrific. There are few, if any, unanswered questions after reading this book. It's worth the money, I would say.

DID THE COW DO IT?
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN THE BARN LOCATED ON THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS 137 DE KOVEN STREET IN CHICAGO ON THE EVENING OF SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1871? DID A POSSIBLY INTOXICATED IRISH WOMAN WITH THE COMPLICITY OF HER BOVINE CONFEDERATE START THE MOST DEVASTATING URBAN FIRE IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES? OR, DID SOME OTHER PERSON(S) GET AWAY WITH STARTING THE BLAZE AND LEAVE THE BLAME ON AN INNOCENT HARD WORKING IMMIGRANT WHO EMBODIES "THE CITY OF BIG SHOULDERS"? IF YOU LIKE REAL LIFE MYSTERIES, INVOLVING LIFE AND DEATH DRAMA, TALES OF HEROISM COMBINED WITH INCOMPETENT PUBLIC OFFICIALS CONDUCTING SHAM INVESTIGATIONS DESIGNED SOLELY TO COVER THEIR VERY EXPOSED BACKSIDES, YOU'LL LOVE THIS BOOK. WRITTEN IN A VERY READABLE STYLE, FILLED WITH GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS, DRAWINGS AND UNIQUE DIAGRAMS, THIS BOOK IS PERFECT FOR ANYONE FROM SCHOLAR TO CASUAL OBSERVER OF THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE AND ITS ORIGINS. ALTHOUGH THE WHO AND THE HOW OF THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRE ARE NOT NEARLY AS IMPORTANT AS THE EFFECT OF THE FIRE, AND THE RE-BUILDING WHICH FOLLOWED IT, THE STORY TOLD IN THIS BOOK FILLS A MUCH NEEDED GAP IN THE HISTORY OF THE FIRE, AND THE GROWTH OF CHICAGO POST 1871. THE BOOK IS FULLY ANNOTATED, SO IF ANYONE WANTS TO READ FURTHER ABOUT ANY ASPECT OF THE FIRE AND ITS IMPACT, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT STARTING POINT. MR. BALES HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF GIVING US HIS TAKE ON THE MYSTERY OF THE START OF THE FIRE, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING THE READER ALL THE EVIDENCE UPON WHICH TO FORM THEIR OWN OPINION. AS FASCINATING AS THE STORY OF THE GOINGS ON IN THE O'LEARY BARN ARE, THE PLAYING OUT OF THE OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION IS VERY INCITEFUL ON HOW THE SCRAMBLE TO AVOID BLAME LEFT MRS. O'LEARY AND THE "SCAPE COW" BEING THE MOST INFAMOUS CITIZENS OF CHICAGO AFTER AL CAPONE. ITS A GREAT READ BOUND UP IN A HANDSOME VOLUME, WELL WORTH THE PRICE.


Past and Present
Published in Hardcover by New York University Press (01 January, 1977)
Authors: Thomas Carlyle and Richard D. Altick
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Salvation for the Western World
A review of Carlyle's Past and Present written in Carlylese (he's much better at it than I am...)

This book could change the whole Western world, if only men would read it, and believe it! -We could have several Utopias springing up in North American and throughout Europe within the space of five years! So here you are. In this work, Carlyle criticizes the social, economic, and political arrangements in England of the 1840s. I will not bother to explain what those arrangements were; I will only say that his criticism is as relevant to us now as it was to the people of his own time. My friends, very simply put, then as now, we have 'parted company with the eternal inner Facts of this Universe, and followed the outer transient Appearances thereof...[we] have forgotten the right Inner True, and taken up with the Outer Sham-true.' Yes Carlyle's English is a bit strange, but try not to be distracted by outer appearances, that is his point! In many aspects of our Western life, we have forgotten what is true and at the heart of the matter, and taken up with superficial nonsense.

Let's begin with economics. In Carlyle's day, the Industrialists were trying their damnedest to figure out a way to make the production of cotton cheaper. This is a sham! Instead, figure out a way, with all your cotton cloth, to 'cover all the backs of England.' How like our present day Global Economists, wracking their brains trying to get the poor fools of the Third World to buy our products. Why don't they stop a moment and see if everyone at home is yet sufficiently provided for. Do your own fellow citizens need what you are producing, or have they enough of it, need they some other product which it is in your power to produce? And what is this of Advertising? Carlyle remembers a hat-maker who built a seven-foot hat of wood and plaster; wheeled it about the streets of London to attract customers to his shop. Does this improve the quality or utility of your hats, man, or does it only fool people into thinking that you have done honest work? I begin to think that more money is made in Advertising in these times of ours than in any other enterprise. What are our cities but places to tack up Billboards, to display Clothes in shop windows, to produce commercials for television, all to fool people into buying rubbish they don't need. Don't Advertise, Just Work!

Religion? Why all the silly ceremonies, the controversies, feuding between different sects. Do we need absurd ceremonies and idolatrous rituals to believe in a Divine Power? True Religion is 'Moral Conscience, Inner Light' 'All Religion [is] here to remind us, better or worse, of what we already know, better or worse, of the quite infinite difference between a Good man, and a Bad, to bid us love infinitely the one, abhor infinitely the other, to strive infinitely to be the one, and not the other.' A Religious man is he who makes his whole life an appeal to Heaven, to Divine Justice, to Goodness, and who cannot be happy if he do not always choose the right thing for his family, his country, his God and himself.

Politics? Why do we continue to elect Bill Slicktons and Tony Blears, vicious Garry Condits and brainless Bushes, when these rotten Governors have in their own souls nothing to govern by. They are play-actors, nothing more, and very poor ones at that. Behind the smile, the make-up, the $400 hair-cut lies only one thing: 'impudent dishonesty--brazen insensibility to lying and to making others lie' Look into the souls of such men and what will you see: 'a general grey twilight, looming with shapes of expediencies, parliamentary traditions, division lists [like opinion polls], election-funds, leading articles...' The true leader, on the other hand, is a hero: he wants none of our material rewards, fears none of our punishments, believes that there is such a thing as eternal justice, will stop at nothing until he has made life better, happier, more fruitful for his fellow citizens. How do we elect such a man, instead of another politician, that is, another professional liar, wood and plaster dummy? We as voters must cease to vote wrong! How is that to be accomplished? Well that is not so easily done. We must all awaken from this state of enchantment, says Carlyle, must begin to learn to distinguish just and unjust, admirable and despicable in our fellow men, and in ourselves. READ THE BOOK!!!

Buyer beware!!
This is for sure a great book, if you have the ability to concentrate for more than five minutes, unlike the majority of the Herd, in mean people, of today. If your intrest lies in the substance of this book, read some other review, I'm only going to tell you that, the (1909) publication, stinks; the so called book, is more like a oversized magizine, and the print is about the size of a footnote in the bible.

The Best Carlyle- As lucid as Acid
Widely known is the lucid and acid historic sense of Thomas Carlyle. This is what you will find in this book. More accessible than the monumental 'Sartor Resartus', but at the same high level. I strongly recomend that book as a way to enter into the vivid world of Carlyle.


Advertising
Published in Hardcover by South-Western College/West (1997)
Authors: Thomas C. O'Guinn, Chris T. Allen, Richard J. Semenik, Oguinn, and Warren W. Allen
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12
20

Bar none-the best academic book you will ever read on advert
Whether you are a new student or an old hand to the world of advertising, you'll learn a lot from this text. The ability of the authors to take a subject of such complexity and break it down into terms that anyone can understand shows their immense knowledge of advertising. The integration of print, radio, television and alternative media along with the ongoing integrated marketing communications case sets this book apart from any other text I've read. Most text books put me to sleep where I found Advertising interesting and inspiring. The exhibits used to represent examples of different executions of advertising made it easy to comprehend the concepts. I found myself reviewing every ad I came in contact with in my personal life and assessing the target, direction and effectiveness of those ads. Great Job!


Bone Marrow Transplantation
Published in Spiral-bound by Landes Bioscience (1996)
Authors: Richard K. Burt, H. Joachim Deeg, and Scott Thomas Lothian
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Bone Marrow Transplantation
This is a wonderful, concise text that covers a great deal of clinically useful information. I have almost every book published on stem cell transplantation and this is one of the best for its size and price. I recommend it for anyone in the transplant field. Whether you're new to the field or experienced, you'll find this to be a valuable reference.

VALUABLE RESOURCE EVERYONE IN A BMT GROUP!
The raison d'etre given for this new publication by its authors and publishers is to provide a concise monograph for doctors in training, information, for medical students, paramedical professionals, house-staff and practicing physicians-to say nothing about the nurses and technologists who make up the standard multi-disciplinary transplant group.

The contents of this book are current, authoritative, critically referenced and cover all the recognized aspects of these procedures, with many valuable comments that include a brief history of the topic, design of the transplantation unit, assessment of donors and eventually moving on to provide data that include results in each of the disease categories.

It is seldom that one can recommend, without reservation, widespread use and it is confidently predicted that the audience for whom the monograph is written will find this a valuable resource.


Boofo: The Dog That Goes Where Santa Goes
Published in Hardcover by Pelican Pub Co (1997)
Authors: Joseph P. King, E. Del Thomas, Dick Dugan, and Richard Dugan
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... BOOFO IS TERRIFIC
I've been looking for this book as my daughter wants to get it for several gifts. I'll pass on to her that I found it. I have read it and seen the reaction of children to this book. It's absolutely delightful. What a shame that the above review from the School Library Journal is so unfavorable...
Get this book for your child or grandchild and it will become as traditional at Christmas Time as reading "Rudolph" or "The Snowman" is...... You'll enjoy it too!

Charming and sweet
This book is adorable, charming and sweet an absalute must for all you people who like to read.


Broomcorn Johnnies
Published in Paperback by Mayhaven Pub (01 June, 1992)
Author: Richard L. Thomas
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I wished everyone could have experienced this past lifestyle
I grew up in Humboldt in the 1950's & 60's. My parents owned and operated a grocery store,and gas station combo here. I can remember, in the summers that the Johnnies would come to the store to purchase their food supplies. My mom was a little uneasy around these guys, but they pretty much caused very little trouble, unless they came from the local tavern after having a few too many.

Please read this book, you will enjoy it!

ONLY comprehensive book about the lost harvest: Broomcorn
How wonderful that Richard L. Thomas wrote this book about a very brief window in time in history when a very defined area of the country grew the crop: broomcorn. Most people do not know where their brooms came from back then and are not really aware of the effect of plastics on our life.

Broomcorn is no longer grown there because of the advent of new materials, but broomcorn evokes for a few people from around Humboldt memories of dear family and friends. Without books such as these, the story would eventually be lost. My grandparents, Adolf and Elsie Blume grew broomcorn in Humboldt and it was a real treat to see the old pictures that were in this book.

We have the broomcorn festival now, held in Arcola each year, and Dave Barry, the celebrated columnist has certainly done his part to advertise the event. However, the real keepsake will be this book, along with treasured family photos and stories that have been written down.


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